Eclipse
by FriendofYggdrasil
Summary: STRQ returns to Beacon for their second year, and must prepare for the Vytal Festival in Vacuo. This is the third installment of the IWNS series, and is largely Raven's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes**: Hey there! I'm Friend, and this is _Eclipse_, the third installment of the IWNS series. If you're new here, welcome! You can try reading this story starting from here, but there's a lot of shit going on, especially right now. IWNS is a rewrite/re-imagination of the RWBY universe, starting with the story of team STRQ, before eventually turning over primarily to the girls. _Eclipse _is largely from Raven's POV, as she and the rest of STRQ return to Beacon for their second year; there are a few flashbacks and forwards, and several chapters with other character's perspectives, including this one. If you're a veteran, welcome back, and thanks for carrying on with me. lol. So without much more ado, let's get into it.

**Music Choices**: Earthbound by The Accidentals, Saw Lightning by Beck

Eclipse

Chapter 1

Ozone

It was going to rain. Ruby could smell it coming, from miles away. On Patch, rain always brought out the greatest smells. Trees, flowers, fresh soil, Dad's herb garden: the rain brought out the land's best attributes. She'd always loved that.

Here in the Kingdom, though, all she could detect was asphalt and oil; and if she was really lucky, the trees from Forever Fall forest. That and the crackly, hair raising taste of ozone. It only rarely stormed, like, **storm** stormed, in Patch, save during the spring. At Beacon, however, every rainfall was accompanied by lightning, no matter how brief.

Ruby sat cross-legged on one of the dorm roofs, watching the horizon turn green. The Kingdom of Vale stood out against the backdrop, a glittering metropolis, made to look toy sized by the distance. Sometimes she liked to pinch her fingers over the images of the grand skyscrapers, pretending she could pick them up. Today, she sat still, the feeling of her cloak tugging at her shoulders; she wasn't in the mood for her own childish games.

Thunder. Ruby looked up, watching the clouds spread overhead, picking out the colors. Grey, green, indigo, steely blue; no white. Ruby knew she should go back inside, but frankly, she needed to be away from everyone right now. So instead, she waited.

She glanced down at the silver necklace in her hands, turning the pendent over, and over. She'd had it for most of her life; as long as she could really remember, in fact. Her mother, Summer, had apparently given it to her. It was on the day that Yang started to really believe in ghosts, insisting that Summer's spirit had gifted Ruby with it.

Before that day, Yang and Dad had said that Ruby used to talk to 'people' in the mirrors; until the necklace, they had thought it was all in her head. Afterwards, they always took her seriously. It was a shame, because Ruby couldn't remember any of this at all. She knew she had always liked mirrors, though. They made her feel less alone.

Now, it seemed that Summer's ghost had gifted them with something else. That something else was much, much darker than a pretty necklace; and it wasn't even originally intended for them at all. Ruby could feel its burden weighing on her soul like an anchor, dragging her along the bottom of a crushing sea.

A cool, wet breeze drifted over the rooftops, tossing her short locks. Ruby could see the rain now, in the distance, moving over the buildings and sparse trees. She exhaled through her nose, feeling the weight a little less.

When she had been little, she was actually very afraid of storms, considering their rarity on Patch and their severe noise during the spring. She remembered thinking there was something living about them, sentient even. A big, dark predator, crouching overhead. She used to hide under her bed, absolutely certain that something large and hungry was circling above her and the entire land. That is, until she started to play with them.

One day, for whatever reason, she had gone outside instead of hiding under her bed; and she had seen the sheets of rain, coming in the distance, and decided to race it. It was a game like those cute little birds at the beach liked to play, chasing the ocean waves back and then running desperately from them as they gave pursuit.

Ruby had wound up soaking and giggling, dodging between the trees, a red blur as the raindrops tried to catch her; the thunder would rumble, lightning would flash, and Ruby had run madly with the wind and leaves, laughing wildly all the while.

After that, she wasn't afraid of storms, and they became some of her favorite animals. Storms weren't evil monsters; they were just big, and powerful, things that created and healed as much as they destroyed. The world needed storms.

Yet today, Ruby didn't feel like chasing the rain. A part of her was tempted to sit there and get completely drenched, just to feel cold and wet; and not this hole in her chest, that brimmed with ice and pain.

_And anger..._

More thunder. A familiar scent, enhanced by the humidity, caught her attention; something flowery mixed with incense, orchids and patchouli. Ruby couldn't hear her teammate approach her, because Blake's ninja skills were always on autopilot unless she thought about it. Yet, Blake couldn't mask her scent without trying.

Blake sidled up next to her, hesitating when she didn't turn, before sitting down. Their elbows were touching. Any other day that might have made Ruby a little shy, a little giddy; but right now, she just appreciated the gesture.

"You like thunderstorms, too?" Blake asked her after a moment.

Ruby nodded, pulling her not very normal knees under her chin. Blake watched her from the corner of pretty amber eyes.

"If we go under that overhang, we can watch it, you know? Without getting totally soaked."

Ruby's mouth twitched, but it didn't meet her eyes. Blake didn't move, even as the rain approached them, coming up the sidewalk towards the dorms. Finally, Ruby climbed to her feet, pulling Blake up with her. They crept under the overhang, right in the nick of time.

Thunder boomed heartily, shaking the windows. Ruby watched the lightning dancing miles above her and wondered if she would ever be able to move so quickly. She doubted it.

The teammates didn't speak for a long time. They simply huddled under their shelter as the storm embraced Beacon, blocking out the view of Vale, the smell of asphalt, the terror eating at her rib-cage. Rain poured off the overhang's tiles, creating a small waterfall around them. Ruby closed her eyes, sighing in relief. She felt safe, hidden.

Blake glanced at her again, bow twitching freely.

"So. You know we have our first mission tomorrow?" Blake prodded. "Are you going to be able to rest?"

Ruby hummed softly, barely audible over the cracking booms. She knew, and as leader, she also knew she should care more, should be preparing herself and her teammates. There was still the plan to sniff out the White Fang hideout and discover what the Dust thieves were planning; a million, bazillion things she needed to be doing, thinking about. Ruby knew she was failing right now, even though she wasn't allowed to fail.

She knew Weiss was probably having an absolute conniption looking for her, and that Yang was also having her own version of a conniption, and that those reasons were why Blake had finally come up here. Not that the faunus probably hadn't already known where she was. Blake always knew where to find them, even if she respected their privacy; faunus senses plus ninja tracking skills meant as much.

Blake studied her. Not just her face, but all of her.

"...I'm sorry," Blake said finally.

Ruby opened her mouth and shut it gently.

"I can't imagine what this must feel like for you. And I'd be a liar if I said I didn't kind of regret finding that thing in the first place, considering how much this is hurting you and Yang. But..."she trailed off briefly. "No matter what happens, what comes from all of this, I need you to know that I'm here for you. For all of you."

Ruby felt herself smile a little; it was a sad smile, but that was ok. Blake understood sad. Ruby had always felt the need to hide that emotion. Dad had his own grief eating at him, and Yang, Yang always wanted to fix it and would get distressed if she couldn't. Weiss understood sad, too, but it was a different mixture than Ruby's own; and Ruby didn't want her partner to worry about her as well as the other trillion things that Weiss worried about.

"I'm not going anywhere," Blake insisted. "Neither is Weiss. And we're going to stop the White Fang _together_, and we're going to find who's responsible for what happened to your and Jean's moms. And we'll fucking stop them, too."

Ruby stared at the faunus, who looked so uncharacteristically serious, so passionate. After a moment, her smile widened a little.

"I feel like I'm the one who should be saying those things," Ruby confessed. "But thank you, Blake. I needed to hear that."

_Because I am so, so scared..._

Blake paused, bow fidgeting, before hugging her gently. Ruby let herself be hugged, before returning the gesture. The weight of the knowledge that had been pulling her down seemed to lessen. They sat there for a while longer, talk subsiding, listening only to the voices of the wind and rain.

...

Thunder shook the panes of the dingy, sparsely decorated apartment. Raven did not look up, focused on translating the leather bound journal in her hands. Retrieving it had meant entering the spirit planes, guided by the mirrors from the library, and had cost her a lot of energy.

She flipped a page, intently focused on the words written in all too familiar, looping scrawl; it was in Old Vacuon, but Raven had taught herself the language years ago. They had all learned it together.

"Hey."

Crimson eyes flicked up briefly from the page, irritated.

"Any mention in there of that Hazel guy?" Becca Forzani asked. She was perusing several security photos from one of the asylums on the outskirts of Vale.

Raven stared at the page again. There was still a lot to read, but Raven had already deduced that certain things were missing. Summer was currently talking about chasing the funding for Merlot Industries through a labyrinth of red tape and front businesses. How she believed the trail was leading her to the culprit behind not only the missing people from the private prisons, asylums and homeless shelters, but also the people responsible for the fall of Mountain Glenn.

Summer believed that Arcene's assault on the lab had caused said culprits to panic, and attempt to bury all possible connection with Merlot and anything else they had been up to in Mountain Glenn. Summer had been scouring the ruins, apparently, searching for clues; and she referenced several files and documents that listed different holdings and businesses tied to Merlot. All of them had been conveniently destroyed during the fall, to point that retrieving anything from them was all but impossible. Amidst this, Summer had also been attempting to get the morgue's reports on the cause of death for Murt Thompson and team OBSN, inspired by Joan Arc's attempts to do so. The date of the entry had been six months before her death.

"Not yet. There's things missing here," Raven muttered, scouring the journal once again. "She keeps referencing copies of documents she's listed by serial number. But those aren't in this book and they aren't in her notes provided by the BTF."

Not that those hadn't been clearly edited; Summer knew there was a mole there, apparently, and had kept her official reports sparse. Dust, she'd even blatantly lied on a few of them, contradicting herself in her real investigative writings; Raven felt that perhaps it was a direct supervisor who had raised her suspicions.

Leo hadn't been said supervisor, considering he was a little after Summer's time. So whoever it was was not only colluding with both Salem's minions and the group that seemed to be in partnership with her, but was also responsible for ratting out both Arc and Summer.

_We need the names of every one of her colleagues on the force. I'm going to have to go on another little field trip, it seems._

"Maybe she squirreled them away somewhere else?" Becca suggested.

Raven's temple pulsed. Her migraines had been getting worse as of late; it made it hard to concentrate.

"Was there, I dunno, any more of those trippy fucking mirrors that you could have missed? It is a big Library."

"I didn't have the time to search as well as I'd have liked," Raven gritted. Becca picked her chipped tumbler off the desk, pounding bourbon; the woman drank more than her brother, if such a thing was possible.

"Yea, good going with that, by the way. I mean I did offer to go look around myself-"

"Shut up, Forzani," Raven sighed. Her temple throbbed, and she rubbed it absently.

"Oh, excuse me, your feathery fucking majesty," Becca raised her hands. "But I'm not the one who tripped Ozpin's alarms. Or tipped off your _daughter's partner _of all fucking people. I mean, I thought that was the opposite of what we were going for?"

Raven glared venomously at the P.I. across from her. Blake being there was definitely not something Raven had planned for, or ever even predicted.

_Who the fuck reads at four in the Dust damned morning, besides other insomniacs?_

"And I'm not the one being tailed by Summer's killers. Would you have rather led them there yourself?"

Alerting said killers that perhaps not all was well, and that there was a potential stockpile of evidence against them, hidden away in Beacon. If these people were willing to kill an entire city to hide their crimes, then there's little doubt that they would be opposed to destroying an Academy of hunters in training.

Becca glared back at her, before sighing and looking down at the photos.

"Alright, touche. But look. We need _help_, Branwen. Like, way more than your merry band of miscreants and some dusty old huntresses. Have you at least contacted Tormund yet? Or ARSN?" Becca raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the mountain of information between them. "Because at this rate, feather duster? We're gonna go the same way."

Raven schooled her face, biting back the retort that had sprang up automatically, before glancing at the book cradled in her hands.

"No. We need concrete evidence of who is responsible first. Not just Lionheart's prattling, considering his confession was under...duress. You don't just waltz into a _real _lion's den with only yourself as an offering, you know. And ARSN has been awol for nearly a decade. It would take months to track them down without utilizing Tormund's resources."

Becca's face shifted, an expression as close to compassion as Raven had ever seen there.

"What?" she snapped.

"...Does he think you did it? Is that why you're hiding out in the Dust forsaken sticks?" Becca scoffed. "He sicced his trigger happy lunatics on you?"

"Don't be absurd," Raven drawled, flipping another page. "He knows I didn't. He does, however, hold me ultimately responsible, because I should have been there. I am..was, her partner after all."

Raven stared at the words, without absorbing the information there, remembering the conversation they'd had years ago. The one where she thought she really would, actually, die; the one where on bleak sleepless nights, she kinda wished she had.

"And he's right. I should have been."

Becca snorted, folding her scarred forearms.

"Well that's crap. What about Taiyang? Or fucking Qrow? They were around too, you know? Hell, they lived in the same fucking house, they had to have known something was up-"

"Don't you dare blame my husband," Raven hissed, anger mounting. That was another conversation she'd rather not recall. "Or my brother."

_Idiots that they are..._

Becca was not impressed by her patented death glare.

"I'm not, I'm just saying. You're letting your ego get in the way of your head," Becca took another sip of bourbon. "If you failed, then shit, so did they. So did the whole fucking force, Oz, everyone. Hell, even Tormund. Even me. You can't take all the credit from us."

Raven contemplated throwing the journal at the P.I. She was not in the mood for this crap. You know your life is garbage when Becca Forzani is the only one willing to call you on your bullshit.

"Can I ask you something, like, stupid personal?"

Raven grimaced.

"I dearly wish you wouldn't, but I have a feeling you're going to anyways."

Becca set her tumbler down, face serious.

"Why'd you leave? That, out of all of this, makes the least amount of sense. Because you obviously didn't want to; hell, from what I remember you would have gone to prison for life for that fucking woman, for any of them. So what changed?"

Raven exhaled, trying to focus on the journal pages once more.

"Summer had her monsters hunting her. And I had mine."

Becca made another face, incredulous.

"What kinda monsters scares a huntress so much she ghosts her whole world?"

Raven felt the barbed reply spring into her mouth, ready to flay the stubborn prick across from her, when her scroll vibrated. She paused, pulling the device from her pocket, reading the name there. With an impatient huff, she accepted the call.

"I told you not to call this number," she growled into the scroll.

There was a heavy pause on the other end, before a male voice responded.

"I know. But this is an emergency."

"Is the Kingdom burning to the fucking ground? Because if so, good."

Becca snorted, rolling her eyes. Raven flipped her off.

"No. Two of your kids are here, asking for you."

Raven's eyes widened and her heart froze instantly; Becca's eyebrows rose at her expression.

"...Which ones," she asked, keeping the tremor from her voice.

"The hyperactive ginger with a coke problem and the quiet nerd that puts up with her-"

_"IS THAT HER? LEMME GET ON THAT, PAL, CUZ __**VALE?**__ WEEE GOTTA PROBLEM-"_

_"Nora, no. Leave the nice man alone."_

"Piss off you fucking crack addict," growled the man on the scroll.

Raven's temple pulsed, and she rubbed her brow, willing the frustration away. She'd nearly had an aneurysm.

"Seriously, Morrigan, they're very insistent that they speak with you," the man grumbled.

_"IT'S CODE RAVIOLI - no wait, wrong one - CODE MOM'S SPAGHETTI!"_

"If you touch me again, you're turning into a pin cushion," the man snarled.

"Carlos," Raven droned.

Carlos went silent on the other end.

"Put Ren on."

Shuffling, then a quiet voice.

"Morrigan," Ren greeted. He sounded tense, which boded ill.

"Ren, I'm assuming this important," Raven asked dryly. "Because right now is a very, _very_ bad time."

"I know," Ren said. She could practically hear him bobbing apologetically. "But this is quite serious."

"Alright, well, go on then," Raven sighed.

"It's about Yang and Ruby," Ren continued.

Raven was tempted to smack her head into a wall.

"Go **on**."

"You were in the library at school this morning, yes? That was you?"

Raven squinted. She knew there would be repercussions for running into Blake, but she had hoped that she would only get a passive aggressive call from Qrow over the matter. Something she could play off.

"Yes, that was me. What happened?"

"Um. Blake found what you were looking for?" Ren supplied softly.

Raven's eyes widened. She looked down at the journal, immediately thinking of the missing references.

"...what, precisely, did she find?"

Becca took a long drink of bourbon, straight from the bottle. Her clothes steamed.

"A data stick containing investigative documents and letter's from Ruby's mother. Addressed to you."

Raven could feel static building in the air and Becca gave her a careful, sidelong look. Raven took a slow, deep breath.

"Tell me it was encrypted."

Ren was an accomplished code breaker. Perhaps, gods perhaps, he had been the one they went to with it.

"Written in Old Vacuoan. Jean...Jean translated it for them," Ren continued solemnly. "They read everything in our dorm room. They know she was murdered for what she was doing-"

Raven slammed her fist on the table, causing a crack in the wood. Her aura was burning, the Maiden's powers crackling around her as she wrestled to get a hold of it. Becca sat down, shaking her head. Ren had fallen silent on the other end. Raven gritted her teeth, reigning it in.

_This is the absolute worst possible outcome, how could I have been so fucking careless?_

"They want to speak with you," Ren continued bravely. "And, well, we told them why we are here. And that we could contact you."

Raven counted to ten, slowly.

"Ren. You had explicit orders to not tell them, them specifically, anything at all. I remember that conversation very clearly, do you?"

"I do. I also know your daughters and team RWBY quite well," Ren said. "They would have looked into this on their own; they're already trying to stop the White Fang activities that have been spiking in Vale, and I feared for their safety considering what the files said. So we made the call. I am sorry, but I feel it was the best choice."

Raven sighed again, considering his argument. She knew he was acting in the best interests of his friends, and that ultimately, it was her own hubris that had allowed this to happen in the first place. Ren and Nora were good kids. They were good Branwen. That's why she had chosen them to go to Beacon in the first place. In his situation, she likely would have done the same.

_Would have? I spilled everything to Summer in my first semester. And I didn't even have an excuse, other than the fact that I was a lovesick little idiot. _

"What should I tell them?" Ren asked after several long moments.

Raven closed her eyes, forcing down the dread that was clouding her judgement.

_It's your job to make the best call and to fix this. If you even can fix this. _

"Arrange the meeting. We need those documents immediately."

Ren gave her a quiet affirmation before the line went dead. Becca was staring at her.

"...You're not gonna explode my apartment are you?" Becca asked after a tense second. "Because my renter's insurance is already through the roof."

"Don't tempt me," Raven sat down heavily.

She stared at the bottle in Becca's hands. The private investigator offered it to her after a moment, and Raven grimly accepted it, taking a rough swig. The burn made her cough, but she drank several swigs before slamming it on the desk.

"Welp. Boarbatusk's out of the bag, eh?"

Raven nodded darkly.

"Maybe we can just, I dunno. Lock them in a tower or something? Until all this is over," Becca suggested, leaning her elbows on her knees.

Raven snorted, her mouth tugging ruefully.

"Yang would turn anything other than a high security prison to rubble in minutes."

"Ok, fair point. So, we give them a hot cocktail of aura suppressants too-"

Raven glared at the suggestion immediately, and Becca trailed off awkwardly.

"Yea ok. Look, maybe this is a good thing?" Becca tried again. "Not like, at the moment, but it could turn out ok-"

"How in the Dust green fuck is this a good thing?" Raven droned.

"...It could be a bonding experience?"

"Shut up, Forzani," Raven groaned, wiping her face.

_Gods, how did I even get here?_

"No, seriously! You could introduce yourself, get all the awkward shit out of the way, I mean. It's not like you've been off being an alcoholic deadbeat for twenty years or whatever, maybe they'll see you in a better light for all this?" Becca continued, dreadfully uncomfortable. "You're renegade mom number two, off trying to avenge mom number one and topple an evil cabal murdering innocent people. Could be worse, you know? You could just be boring."

Raven glared at her.

"It doesn't **matter **how they see me," she said finally. "They could think I'm the dark god incarnate, and that wouldn't actually matter-"

"Tch, then why are you so freaked?" Becca tossed her hands.

"Because I don't want them to get their chipper little butts killed too!" Raven exclaimed. "I don't want my children to fucking **die**! Is your brain as soaked as your liver? Because I don't understand how this is that difficult for you to process?!"

"Oh yea? Is that why you've been avoiding them their entire lives?!" Becca shot back. "Face it, Branwen, you're scared they'll hate you and that's it! Pull your head out of your broody ass!"

Raven snarled, standing up, snatching her scroll and stalking out of the room.

"Where are you going?!"

"To call my brother," she hissed, slamming the door to the kitchen behind her.

Silence, finally. Raven exhaled, her wrists burning. She rubbed them irritably, pushing past the anxiety. Grappling her emotions to floor, Raven lifted the scroll in her hand and stared at the blank screen.

She needed to tell him. Hell, she needed to tell Taiyang, too. They could even do damage control-

_Oh that's right, just dump all your problems on them. This is your fault, you have to unfuck yourself. Or are you just that pathetic?_

She cursed, pushing her hair back. She didn't want Becca to be right. Still, she did need to call Qrow at least. He wasn't in town currently; she could sense him on the other side of the continent. He might not even have scroll signal.

_This isn't something you can explain to him over a single scroll call. He needs to know everything, so he understands the actual danger they're in. _

She lowered the scroll, placing it on the kitchen counter next to the empty bottles and plastic bags of to-go food. After a few more minutes of procrastinating, Raven sighed, drew her blade and focused. With a sudden swipe, the fabric of space tore, revealing a black and red portal. The bond between herself and her twin responded, irritated, sullen; but also very curious.

Raven sheathed her blade, leaning against the counter; and waited. Minutes passed. Raven played with the feathers at her hip, refusing to grow impatient. After a few more ticked by, a dark head poked through, familiar dusty red eyes meeting her own crimson.

"Hello, brother," Raven drawled.

Qrow glanced around the kitchen, suspicious. He finally stepped out halfway of the portal, still cautious.

"What's up, Rae-rae?" he asked. Raven huffed at the nickname habitually, before gesturing into the kitchen.

"Are you actually going to come in, or keep standing there?"

"Dunno yet," Qrow smirked.

Raven rolled her eyes, turning to one of the cabinets and pulling out a tumbler. She uncorked a bottle of whiskey from the counter, poured him a healthy shot, and passed it to him. He accepted the drink carefully.

"Where are you?" he asked finally.

"Vale," she admitted. An awkward silence fell as Qrow looked at her, concern flashing briefly over his face. After a pause, he took a sip and stepped further into the room.

"Why are you in Vale?" he asked, eyeing her. "Is Ci-Ci ok?"

Raven blinked before tilting her head.

"Ciara is doing well. Not that you would know," she droned.

"Oh, don't fucking start with me," he laughed harshly, shaking his head. "You don't get to pull that shit, and you know it."

"You could try writing her. It wouldn't kill you," Raven gave a sarcastic shrug.

Qrow gave her a distinctly unimpressed look, clearly considering walking back through the portal. Raven decided to change the subject.

"Look, I didn't do this to argue with you," she continued. "But we really need to talk."

"Oh yea? What do you want, Rae?" he asked. "Cuz I'm kinda in the middle of work."

A pang in her heart. She knew she had pushed him away to begin with, for his own good, but still; she missed him.

"It's about the girls," she started, and his eyes widened. "And Summer."

"...That bad?" he grimaced.

"Yes," she said, monotone.

He finished the tumbler, striding fully into the kitchen. In the other room she could hear Becca rummaging, and Qrow's eyes flicked suspiciously towards the door. Raven eyed him, annoyed by his reaction.

"The squirts ok?" he asked. "Tai hasn't called, so..."

"They're ok, for now," Raven folded her arms. "But they're involved in something way over their ditsy little heads and...I. Really need your help. "

Qrow sighed, brushing his hair back.

"Oh boy," he drawled. "It really is that bad, huh?"

Raven's face was a stoic mask, deathly still.

"It's worse."

_And it is all my fucking fault._


	2. Chapter 2

Music Choices: Raven by Faun

Eclipse

Chapter 2

Kingdom

Raven stood at the bank of the river, watching the white water boil over the rocks. The water raged, hypnotic, mist dancing over her skin. She glanced up, eyes flicking over the grass and black trees. She could hear music.

Her head was aching, a sharp pain between her eyes, and she winced, rubbing her brow. A sudden motion across from her made her tense, fingers automatically reaching for her hilt; but her fingers grasped nothing but air. She didn't have her sword.

A shadowy figure, hunched over by the opposite bank, was dunking something in the raging waters. Raven watched it, confused. The water was changing color, a violent crimson, as the figure continued to submerge its too long pale arms.

Raven watched, trying to call out, but something stopped her. Her voice died in her throat, a feeling of ice and dread creeping over her entire body. The river was red, red, red. After a few more minutes, the figure stopped it's thrashing and pulled its arms out. A white cloak was in its hands, one far too familiar.

The entity stretched the cloak out in its bony hands, showing her the back. It was stained red, an oval spreading out over snow white cloth. Raven trembled, her mouth twisting in a silent snarl as she backed away. The creature had long black hair hanging over a bony inhuman mask. It's eyes were red, pupil-less.

_"Raven?"_

...

She jolted awake, hands grappling the sides of her seat. She panted, looking about her. Taiyang was sitting next to her, blue orbs concerned as he peered at her face. She took in her surroundings, the nightmare already fading as she pushed black locks from her eyes. She needed a haircut. She hated haircuts.

"Hey? You ok?" he whispered. The airship was still dark, the lights having been dimmed for the sleeping passengers.

Raven hesitated before nodding briskly. Across from her were the sleeping forms of Qrow and Summer, their chairs leaned back as they slept. Tai touched her arm, warmth spreading out from the contact.

"Bad dream?" he asked, voice sympathetic. She paused, brow furrowing, before glancing at him.

"I think so," she admitted.

Taiyang frowned, before brushing hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry," he said. "We're nearly there, I think. We can nap when we get to the dorms."

She exhaled, leaning into his shoulder, closing her eyes again. Tai radiated heat like a furnace. He ran gentle fingers through her hair again, and she hummed at the sensation, pleased. They didn't talk, dozing in and out of sleep as the airship thrummed through the air. Finally, the intercom buzzed and the pilot's voice crackled overhead.

_"Ladies and gents, we are now beginning our approach to Vale Interconntinental. We will be landing in approximately fifteen minutes. Thank you for flying with us."_

Across from her, Raven felt her teammates stiring, their bonds brightening in her mind as they began to wake up.

"Nngh. But I _don't like _potatoe salad, it's gross," Summer grumbled.

Raven snorted in amusement as Taiyang's shoulder shook as he chuckled.

"Sum sum," Tai whispered, reaching out to nudge their little leader's leg. "Hey. Summmmer?"

"Mmm. Hm?"

"Wakey wakey, steak and bakeyyy. We're almost there," Tai whispered.

"Nnn," a silver eye peaked open, sleepy. "Yea?"

Raven felt herself smile at her girlfriend. Summer's face brightened, ears perking as she suddenly sat up. Qrow was still laid out, half conscious but pretending to not be. Summer pushed the blind that covered their window up a tad, revealing the amber light of dawn dancing over gentle clouds.

The three of them watched the scenery pass below them, still drousy. It had been a long flight from the Settlement that Chen's people had dropped them off in. They had said their farewells to the Branwen, Black Dogs and others back in Anima, but Nwyfre had accompanied them all the way to the small island Settlement that they would catch their flight from.

Raven and her mother had set aside their differences at the end of the moot, finally having a long heart to heart about what she wanted. Nwyfre did not like that Raven was returning to Beacon, under the gaze of Ozpin once again, considering the events of the last several months; she had even suggested that perhaps their team transfer to Shade Academy in Vacuo, to get away from his direct influence.

Raven had considered her argument carefully, before deciding that something that big would have to be an entire team decision; but in the interim, she wanted to return to Beacon with others, to continue their training. Nwyfre had not been pleased, but she accepted this as gracefully as she could. Raven had tried to reassure her mother of this decision by forming a Semblance bond with both her and Ciara, allowing her to open a portal to their locations, one which Ozpin would not be able to interrupt or tamper with; that way, Nwyfre would never be cut off from her children again and wouldn't feel like she had to come to Vale with the mission to save them from the meddlesome headmaster.

Their goodbye had not been teary, because gods forbid either of them ever cry in front of the other. However, Raven had hugged her sincerely that day as they left, and Nwyfre had returned it firmly. Even when they bickered, Raven still very much loved her mom. She was her hero.

The airship shuddered as it lowered itself through the clouds, banking as it prepared for landing. Around them, the other passengers were waking up, putting away their things. An attendant was striding about, taking people's garbage and calmly reminding them to stay seated.

At last, Raven could see the spires of Vale outside the window. To her surprise, she was actually glad to see the Kingdom again. Vale was far from perfect, but she had admittedly grown attached to it. STRQ sat together, watching the skyscrapers pass below them, glittering in the morning sun. Summer all but had her nose pressed to the glass, oohing excitedly at the view.

Then they banked again, the airship slowing further as it began to drop straight down to the airfield. The lights came on fully as the airship came to a stop.

_"Welcome to Vale, everyone. Have a good day, and see you next time."_

Raven unbuckled herself, ready to be free of the crowded tin-can; her sword had been stowed with the rest of STRQ's weapons in the overhead bin. Hunter's and Witchfingers were apparently allowed to carry their weapons on public transport, in the event of Grimm attack.

STRQ stretched, cracking joints and gathering their few belongings before following the crowd through aisle. People gave them a few curious looks, and one little boy exclaimed excitedly as they walked past, pointing out the Hunters to his parents; said parents gave them embarrassed smiles, apologizing. Raven looked away, strangely uncomfortable, as Taiyang and Summer beamed at them. Summer waved at the little boy and he brightened visibly.

Qrow was the first of them to disembark, groaning loudly as he stretched again, relieved to be on the ground. Raven squinted in the morning light, appraising the airfield, when her eyes fell on a familiar, mountainous figure. She tensed, catching her twin's attention, before he saw who she was looking at.

Tormund Rindvallis, Summer's adoptive father, was standing in the crowd of people waiting for their loved ones to arrive. Raven met his eyes, the hair on her nape standing. They hadn't told Tormund what flight they were on, or contacted him over the nearly two months they had been away. Meaning he had people on the ship, maybe even at the moot, keeping on eye on them.

Summer stopped at Raven's elbow, zeroing in on her father immediately. Her face ran a gamut of emotions, before finally picking one, and the faunus blurred to her parent in a storm of white, before jumping into his arms.

"DAD!"

Qrow and Raven exchanged cautious looks, approaching the witchfinger along with Taiyang.

"There's my little Huntress!" he boomed merrily, laughing as he spun them around. Summer giggled happily, hanging from him like a koala.

"AHH I missed you!" Summer exclaimed, before pausing. "How'd you know I was on this flight?"

"Oh, I got a call," he shrugged.

Summer squinted at him, trying to look serious.

"You were spying on us?"

"Yep!" Tormund boomed, setting his daughter down. The giant's face was completely unrepentant. "Sigyn told me where you were going, so I had some colleagues keep an eye out."

Summer's ears flicked, irritated.

"Dad."

"And it was a good thing I did, too," he rumbled. "What was this nonsense I heard about you trying to apprehend a huntsman? And getting hurt in the process?"

Summer sighed, rolling her eyes as she folded her arms.

"It was just a bad guy doing bad things - but that's not the point! We've talked about this," Summer frowned. "I'm adult and I have boundaries, I thought you respected that?"

"I do," he nodded. "Or I would have pulled you out of there immediately; what were you **thinking**, Summer? Those people are fucking dangerous. You could have died in the middle of nowhere, or worse! I've been having an aneurysm for the past two months! And you two!"

He focused on Raven and Qrow. Qrow pointed sarcastically at himself, making a face. Raven didn't move, other than to narrow her eyes.

"You know what could have happened, yes?" he growled. "How could you expose your teammates to all that?"

"Hey!" Summer stood up, trying to be taller. It did not work. "Listen here, mister! You don't get to be mad at them for squat! They didn't even want us to come to begin with! We are just, super friggin stubborn! And even if they did, you don't get to scold them! It was my decision, and you need to understand that!"

Tormund stared down at his daughter. There was a long pause, before he finally started to chuckle.

"Dust, you sound just like Fen," he finally sighed.

He scratched the back of his head, looking briefly uncomfortable. Summer's face changed from anger to surprise.

"You're right," he said at last, smiling ruefully. "I'm sorry. But next time you decide to run off into the wilds, could you at least tell me yourself? Instead of sending your sister to do it?"

Summer's ears flicked, before she hugged her father again. Her arms couldn't even wrap around his middle. Raven shuffled awkwardly, feeling distinctly guilty.

"Ok," Summer mumbled.

"Thank you," he sighed again.

"Where is Sigyn?" Summer asked after a moment, pulling away.

"Well, she was right here a minute ago," Tormund looked around. "I think she was trying to smuggle that dog in-"

A whirlwind of pink and noise manifested suddenly, trailed by a the barking form of Yin, Tai's corgi. Summer was engulfed immediately as her sister scooped her up, babbling a mile a minute.

_Speak her name, and thus, she appears. _

"Summmmmmer! Aaaahahahaha, you've been gone for ages! I've been so **bored**, Tali's been gone all of break too, and you! You have to tell me everything!" Sigyn shouted over Yin's excited barks.

Tai saw his baby and immediately went into dork mode, talking to Yin like she was toddler as he cradled her.

"Ooooh there's my little princess! Hi sweetie, I missed you so much! Have you been good? Hm? Yes you have, look at how big you are! Yes you are!"

Qrow made a face as if he wanted to vomit. Raven elbowed him, earning a glare. She smirked and he rolled his eyes.

The reunion lasted several more minutes, all noise and enthusiasm. It was giving her a bloody migraine, but she didn't have the heart to be too irritable about it. She was just relieved Tormund had taken the fact that his daughter had fucked off into the wilds with a bunch of barbarians as well as he had. Had their roles been reversed, she doubted Nwyfre would have responded as calmly. The idea of Summer having been raised as a Branwen and Raven growing up in the Kingdom instead caught her imagination for a moment, and she smiled. She kind of doubted much would have changed.

Finally, with much ado, the procession made their way from the airfield, following the crowds. Raven gave the airship behind them a final glance, before looking ahead, the memory of nightmare fading in the morning light.


	3. Chapter 3

Eclipse

Chapter 3

Back to School

Raven exhaled in relief, dropping her pack heavily on the ground of their dorm room floor. Very little had changed in casa de STRQ since they had departed for Anima several months ago. But it felt as if an entire lifetime had passed since they were all in this room, together.

Summer promptly leaped onto her bed with an exclamation, splayed out wildly on the comforter as she let out a huge sigh. Taiyang fell face first onto his bed, without bothering to take off his shoes, Yin hopping up on the bed with him immediately. Qrow didn't make it to the kitchen to climb into his hammock; he just flopped onto the floor, arms over his head.

"We did it," he drawled. "Yaaaaay."

Summer snickered, eying her from under her pillows. Raven smirked, sitting on her own bed and letting herself slump over, exhausted. They had a few days to rest before the new semester kicked off, and then it was back to grindstone. Still, after the events of last semester combined with their so called summer vacation, she doubted Beacon would be able to pose much of an obstacle for them.

_Dust, at this rate, they may as well graduate us early. _

Still, second year at Beacon was said to be the hardest of the four. It had the highest drop out percentages of all the years combined, due to a sharp increase in actual missions and physical training. They would spend several weeks at least in the field, shadowing grown hunters and living the life to see if they really were cut out for it; said hunters graded them on their performances, and could even cause them to be expelled from the program if they did badly enough. Despite that, Raven wasn't really worried; any of the survivors from their year group who had made it through Mountain Glenn were hardly going to be phased by anything smaller than such a catastrophe.

"I never want to move from this bed," moaned Taiyang. "Whyyy am I so tired?"

"Awww, what's the matter, old man?" Raven droned mockingly, tilting her head. "Was running with the big bad bandits too hard for you? Hm?"

Tai flipped her off, before tossing a pillow halfheartedly her way. It fell way short, landing on Qrow's face. He simply lay there, accepting his fate, before hugging the pillow.

Summer giggled, watching them impishly. She had grown more and more amused by Tai and Raven's interactions lately, her bond always supplying a wave of mirth and glowing warmth whenever she caught them flirting; because that was, quite honestly, what they were doing. Not that she would admit that aloud, yet. If ever.

The team lapsed into cozy silence, basking in the safety of their home and each others presence. Eventually, they would have to get up. They had laundry to do, Dust allowances to see to, check ins and a heap of paperwork to get sorted so they could actually start second year; but right now was not the time for that. Right now, it was time to just fucking sleep and watch tv and stupid videos on their scrolls. Which is exactly what they did.

...

"Ohhhh my gods," Qrow groaned, taking a long sip from his mug. "Damn. I missed good coffee."

Raven snorted, eying her twin wryly as he sat next to her in the mess hall. It was the first day for new check-ins, and the fresh recruits had flooded the hall in a heap of confusion. Raven observed the potential freshmen as they flocked together, trying to seem tough and confident as they stood in line for chow or asked for directions.

Despite themselves, they all looked so...innocent. Raven knew she had never looked innocent in her life, but still, she had to wonder.

_Did I look so young on my first day?_

Team STRQ had their usual table at the end of the hall, the one that let them see all the exits. Tai and Summer were grabbing breakfast together, looking at silly videos on Tai's scroll. The twins had gone ahead and claimed their traditional territory.

Raven had noticed that their year group, and the years ahead of them, definitely seemed smaller; not everyone was back from vacation, but she also knew that not everyone was ever coming back. Her eyes fell on the empty seats a few rows down, where team OBSN and their friends typically hung out. After a heavy pause, she looked away.

A pair of new recruits were shuffling across from them, looking anxiously at the tables. They were two faunus boys, one with a yellow leopards tail, the other with brown rat ears. Raven met their eyes carefully, trying to appear nonthreatening. She knew it could be particularly hard for faunus student's on their first day at Beacon.

The leopard faunus met her eyes hopefully and she pushed a chair out for him, nodding at it. Qrow gave her a surprised look, that changed to something a bit proud and she rolled her eyes at him as the two recruits scurried over to sit with them.

"Hey," the first boy started, looking between Raven and Qrow. "Um..can we sit here?"

"Go for it," smiled Qrow easily.

The pair practically sighed in relief before sitting in unison, and Raven studied them habitually; the boy with rat ears had an interesting looking weapon, something she had only seen in Arc's weaponry classes. It was an upgraded spear-thrower, or Atlatl, one used for hurling Dust infused darts or spears, which he carried a supply of on his back. The boy's human ears were bright red as he glanced between Raven and Qrow, and in a fit of awkward solidarity, Raven spoke up.

"Relax. We don't bite," she smirked.

"Well, I don't anyways," Qrow chuckled, earning a baleful look. He leaned across the table, offering his hand. "I'm Qrow. This is my sister, Raven."

"I'm Matias," the leopard faunus gestured to himself. His chest even puffed up a little bit. "This is my brother, Alejandro."

Raven looked over Matias's armor, which was admittedly very well made; Dust glyphs adorned his gauntlets. He carried no visible form of weaponry, only a Dust glyphed shield.

"Where are you two from?" she asked casually.

"Argus," they said in unison. They looked at each other, and Raven smirked.

"Ahh. What year are you guys?" Alejandro asked, picking at his eggs.

"We're not students, we're instructors," Qrow insisted dryly, taking a sip. Raven rolled her eyes.

The brother's eyes widened, apparently believing him.

"Wait, really?" Matias hesitated.

"No," Raven droned.

_C'mon, kid, seriously?_

"Yea, they're actually janitors," said Taiyang, plopping down besides Alejandro, who jumped slightly. "But their Semblances let them combine into one gigantic trash heap to confuse enemies."

"Yes, clearly. And this geriatric individual is Taiyang," Raven drawled sardonically. "His Semblance is simply a debilitating lack of wit, which lowers the collective intelligence of everyone within earshot."

Tai winked at the recruits, taking a bite of ham.

"Nice to meet you," Tai beamed, unperturbed.

"And if you listen closely, you can even hear his last two braincells trying to create a spark between them," Qrow continued, lifting a hand to his ear. Alejandro smiled, looking a little less nervous in the face of their banter as Taiyang flipped his partner off.

Summer finally joined the lot of them, sitting across from the two boys who blatantly stared at the pretty faunus upperclassman. Raven wasn't sure whether to be amused or a little irritated.

_Take a picture, it will last longer_.

"Hi!" Summer chirped, her plate full of bacon and hash-browns. "How's your first day going?"

"Um...you know, better than we expected," Alejandro admitted. "So you guys are a team, I'm guessing?"

"Yup! We're STRQ! Oh, I'm Summer by the way!" Summer smiled, holding her hand out.

Alejandro shook her hand, looking a bit shell shocked as Matias's eyes widened at their moniker.

"Wait. Seriously?" he asked. "You guys are really STRQ?"

The four teammates shared glances, as Qrow smirked mischievously.

"Yea? What, does our reputation proceed us?" he chuckled. "Don't worry, we don't actually start that many fights."

"I do," Raven quipped. Matias met her eyes, and her smile widened. Summer's foot nudged her under the table.

"Ok, yea, she does," Qrow conceded. "Just don't bully people and she'll probably leave you alone."

"Maybe," Raven hummed.

She felt Summer nudge her again, and she chuckled. Summer mouthed 'behave' at her. Raven raised her eyebrows in challenge.

_Why don't you make me, darling?_

Summer's eyes got a dangerous little glint at Raven's expression; Raven looked away innocently, fighting a pleased smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth.

"No, it's just. We ah, we heard about you guys from Mountain Glenn," Matias admitted. His brother nudged him, trying to be subtle.

Summer's eyes widened perceptibly. Raven had to admit, she was a little surprised as well. Matias leaned forward, appraising them.

"...Did you guys seriously fight a Jorogumo?" he asked, a little awed.

Alejandro's human ears were bright red, as he kept shooting his brother and the teammates concerned looks.

"Yup," Qrow drawled. "Well, Summer and Rae did. And BBLK was there, too."

"Oh, no, no, it wasn't so much fighting, as fleeing desperately," Summer laughed nervously. "We were really unprepared for something like that, we were just rescuing survivors-"

"Well yea, but you were what? Just freshmen?" Matias grinned. "And you didn't _die_? That's crazy."

Raven felt her eyes pull towards the empty tables again.

"Yep. Crazy," Raven droned.

Alejandro winced, elbowing his brother again. Matias finally got a clue, spooning eggs into his mouth. Taiyang decided to come to the rescue, and changed the subject.

"Anywho, why'd you guys choose Beacon if you're from Argus?" he asked with his mouth full. Raven gave him a disgusted look, and he opened his mouth mockingly at her. She rolled her eyes.

"Haven isn't really our scene, and neither is Atlas," Matias admitted.

"Definitely not Atlas," Alejandro shuddered. "Ice and fascists? I think I'll pass, thank you."

Summer bobbed sympathetically.

"Yea, I hear you. Beacon is pretty good overall, it's a much more mature crowd than Signal at least," she leaned on her elbows. "But it does have some problems. If anyone gives you guys a hard time, though, feel free to let us know. Or Professor Arc, she's a good ally."

"You mean that terrifying blonde lady?" Matias asked, yellow eyes rounding.

Qrow sighed dreamily, taking another sip of coffee as Taiyang made fun of him.

"Listen, Professor Arc is like, a refined, higher evolved taste, gentlemen" Qrow started, ignoring his partner's pantomimes. "You think she's scary, but in reality, she's just too much woman for little boys to handle."

"You are so gross," Raven drawled, taking a bite of bagel.

"I am so wise, you mean," Qrow laughed.

"No. No I do not mean that."

"One day she's gonna hear you say something stupid," Tai shook his head. "And then that's it. That's the end of Beacon's feathery fuckboy. There will be nothing left but a slightly alcoholic wisp of vapor."

"Hey, woah," Qrow raised his hands in protest. "I am NOT a fuckboy."

Tai, Raven and Summer exchanged amused looks, before simultaneously squinting at him.

"Well, you know what they say, if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...and it walks like a duck...then it's Qrow, and he's a fuckboy," Tai counted off his fingers.

Raven snorted, reaching for her tea as Summer giggled.

"You are all immense hypocrites, I hope you understand that," Qrow droned, pointing at them. "You are just trying to shame my comfort with my sexuality, which is extremely fucking hypocritical coming from you three. Fuckboy's lie to get into people's pants, and I do no such thing. Summer, I at least expected better of you."

Summer spluttered, tossing her hands up immediately as Qrow pretended to be disdained.

"I didn't even do anything!? That's so not fair, I wasn't even teasing you, you big baby-"

"I am extremely disappointed right now."

"Dooo you want bacon up your nose? Cuz that's how that happens," Summer waved bacon at Qrow menacingly. "You make fun of me all the friggin time, and you know it."

"Now you're threatening to put things in my nose without my consent, that's perpetuating really bad behavior Sum-"

"Oh my Dust," Summer huffed, folding her arms, ears flat.

"Tell them I'm not a fuckboy, Summer. I want my name cleared."

"Fine! You are a not a fuck boy. You are a fuck**bird**, and that is like, a hundred times worse."

Taiyang started laughing merrily at the new nickname as Raven chuckled at her twin openly, setting her teacup down to keep from spilling. Qrow gaped, pretending insult.

"Take it back, Milkshake."

"NOOOpe!" Summer exclaimed. "You're a fuckbird! How do you like them apples, huh?"

Raven met Matias and Alejandro's eyes and started laughing again at their bewildered expressions. Qrow and Summer continued to play fight, their banter devolving steadily until Summer started pulling out the mom jokes; mom jokes were now apparently safe territory since their actual mothers were no longer in hearing range.

Eventually, Tai broke up the argument, threatening a godless pun-a-ggedon that they would not escape from for the rest of the semester if they kept it up. Both Summer and Qrow pretended to sulk; sometimes they really brought out the little kid out in each other. Raven had to admit was kind of sweet, in a loud and annoying way.

Finally, they decided to stop traumatizing the new recruits and set to actually getting their responsibilities out of the way. Alejandro and Matias waved at them as they left, both of them smiling a little as the sophomores made their way out of the mess hall.

"Welp! Glad we're establishing ourselves as the 'cool kids' right off the bat this year," Tai laughed, his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Yeaaa, that's definitely how we came across," Raven said dryly. "Not as the resident escapees from the mental wing of the hospital."

"Hey, speak for yourself," Tai thumbed his chest. "I'm obviously the coolest and most stable guy here, hands down."

Qrow scoffed, shaking his head at his partner as Summer blew a raspberry at her boyfriend.

"Your crocs and sandles collection says otherwises, gramps," Raven smirked.

"I DO NOT own crocs, but if I did, I bet they would be very nice and feel good on my feet. In fact, I bet I could pull it off."

"Sure, yea. You know what? You're right," Raven nodded, pretending to imagine Tai in crocs. "You should wear them with your school uniform on Monday."

"I don't know why, but for some bizarre reason, I feel like you're trying to set me up?" Tai stated, feigning incredulity. "But you would never do something like that."

"Oh noooo, no. Never," Raven supplied, her face stoic.

"Psst. Hey Rae?" Tai whispered.

She raised an eyebrow.

"You're a trashpigeon."

"Better than being a fuckbird, I guess," she sighed, walking ahead with a silent snicker as she incited another round of Qrow's protests.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: Hello again folks. There is a bit of lewdness at the bottom of the chapter, but nothing that isn't par for the course or too graphic. Regardless, I'm gonna call it NSFW, unless you, too, like to live dangerously.

Music Choice: Pools by Glass Animals

Eclipse

Chapter 4

Back to School Part II

It was the second day of pre-registration, and STRQ had finally seen to all their paperwork and necessary bureaucratic bullshit. It was also the day where Ozpin and the other staff members would have their little meet and greet, before the freshmen were launched off a cliff somewhere in the name of tradition and made to fight for their lives against undead monsters.

The opening ceremony was mainly for potential freshmen, and not something Raven was particularly invested in seeing a second time; she honestly did not plan to attend, and was only interested in the naming ceremony to see the new teams and their potential competition for the coming year. So when the rest of STRQ tried to gang press her into attending with them in the name of comradery, Raven shifted skins and promptly flew out their dorm window, delighting in their dumbstruck faces.

_Try making me do anything now, fuckers. _

Raven's wings carried her easily over the school grounds. No one pointed her out, no one even looked up as she flew overhead. She was invisible to the average person, and the relief that filled her with was nearly euphoric as she soared with no destination in mind.

Now, her mothers had naturally warned her and Qrow of Ozpin, and using her new abilities anywhere he might detect them. However, the Headmaster was in the auditorium, greeting his new students. For this moment, the campus belonged to her and the skies above.

Croaking, Raven rolled in the air, delighting in the sensation of freedom as she explored the Academy in a whole new way. She could see the glittering spires of Vale in the distance, and knew she could easily fly there if she so chose; or to the beautiful trees of Forever Fall forest, or even the nearby ocean. She could go anywhere she wanted, see whatever she wanted, and no one could tell her otherwise. The sheer amount of freedom presented before her was intoxicating.

Other birds passed her by, a flock of silly seagulls, on their way to some roost or another. They left her alone, squawking loudly as they flapped away. She kept an eye out for hawks or other corvids that may try to chase her out of their territory, and circled the Library, taking in the view. She realized she had missed Beacon. Despite everything, the school had become her home away from home, mostly due to the people that inhabited it.

As she circled again, she spotted the familiar forms of her classmates, coming up the path from the small airfield where the ferry to Vale resided. Team BBLK had returned. She listened to Barty's familiar nonstop caffeinated chatter, interrupted occasionally by Liana or Becca. She briefly considered dive-bombing them to get a reaction, before brushing the idea away as too childish.

Instead, she landed in a tree by the Library, ruffling her feathers as she perched on a hefty branch; she was alone here, and she realized it was the first time she had had any real solitude in weeks. Life in the tribe had always been hectic and without much time or space for privacy; and she had been surrounded by her teammates nonstop for the entire break. Not that she didn't love them; she just loved her private moments, too, and hoarded them like drops of gold.

She warbled, a odd knocking sound. The wind blew softly, carrying with it the scents of the distant Kingdom. Her thoughts drifted as she shuffled from one foot to the other. She thought about the coming year, and the year that had past; everything she had discovered, and the weight of responsibility that came with it. The world was an even bigger, stranger and darker place than she had ever realized possible.

A noise below her caught her attention, and she zeroed in on it immediately. A slinky black cat was stalking across the grass, ears high as it hunted for something. Raven eyed it balefully. She was not very fond of cats these days. As far as she knew, they were all spies for Set.

The cat paid her no mind, its inky tail swishing behind it as it crept through the summer fat grasses. It paused, one paw frozen as it watched something move in the brush, pupils wide. Then it looked up and met her eyes, focusing on her instantly. Raven cawed irritably, and the cat jumped, before settling. They stared at each other, Raven trying to look intimidating, while the cat watched her with big honey eyes. After several long moments, the cat stepped forward, not taking its eyes off of her. She cawed again, voice rough with aggression, and the cat hesitated.

_Try me, fur-ball..._

The cat continued to stalk her, slipping closer and trying to hide behind the tree trunk. Raven fluffed herself in annoyance, waiting. After several long seconds, a dark little face peaking out at her from behind the tree trunk, ears flat. Raven warbled in amusement, pretending to preen herself.

_Yea, ok. C'mere fluffy. _

The cat's tail whipped before it leaped onto her branch, its butt wiggling as it prepared to pounce. It was clearly an adolescent, and had not learned to mind its business; not that cats ever minded their own damn business. Another second passed, and the cat sprang, claws outstretched; and Raven shifted instantly back into her human skin, grabbing the kitten in midair.

Fluffy's eyes had widened in absolute terror, and it clawed her gauntlets uselessly, hissing. Raven lifted the little thing up to face level, glaring at it.

"What did we learn?" she drawled as the kitten mewled pitifully.

She turned the cat around and gently let it drop to the base of the tree; it landed easily on its feet, hair standing on end as it arched angrily, giving her a final growl and darting away. She knew that was not very nice, to scare some baby animal that way, but she still felt a little smug.

_Don't fuck with birds, you little asshole..._

After a few more moments, Raven shifted her skins again, gliding off into the mid-morning air.

...

It was late afternoon when Raven slipped back into their dorm room. From her bonds, she knew that Qrow and Taiyang had scampered off somewhere in Vale, likely one of the arcades; Summer, however, was home and awake. Her emotions occasionally flickered over their shared bond, and Raven could sense that her partner was perhaps a little irritated at being left alone. From the smell of baked goods, she was clearly trying to distract herself with one of her favorite hobbies.

Raven poked her head into the kitchenette, spotting her girlfriend instantly. Summer was, as was tradition, covered in flour. Raven did not understand how Summer always managed to make such a mess, other than perhaps Summer had fun making messes. That was generally a prime motivator for the other girl.

"Hey," Raven smiled.

Summer bobbed in greeting, still focused on her task as she scooped more cookie dough on a tray. Raven hesitated, before slinking into the kitchenette and wrapping her arms around Summer's midsection, resting her chin between her ears. Said ears flicked backwards, but Summer said nothing, still going about her task as if Raven wasn't there.

Raven sniffed, before pressing her lips to Summer's head.

"Hey?"

"Hm?" Summer hummed, still ignoring her.

Raven frowned slightly. Perhaps Summer was angrier than she thought?

"Heeeeey?" she drew out, tightening her arms.

"Yeeees?" Summer returned, glancing up at her.

"...I love you?" Raven kissed her head again. Summer's face twitched in barely concealed amusement before she started giggling openly.

"Aww, but. If you really loved me, then why would you ditch me? Hm?" Summer teased.

Raven scoffed, realizing she had been tricked as Summer wrapped her fingers over her own.

"I didn't ditch you," Raven protested.

"Ya huh. I was abandoned, all by myself. Whatever was I supposed to do, all on my lonesome," Summer proclaimed dramatically, fanning herself. "Surely I can never manage to be alone for a few hours!"

"Oh, **ok**," Raven huffed. "I see what you're doing."

"What do you mean? I'm clearly pining over my dark brooding lover, who just, abandons me on a whim! Here! All alone-"

"You're being _mean_," Raven reprimanded, growling playfully into her neck. "Where did you learn how to be mean?"

Summer turned in arms, fixing her with her eyes; they were still mischievous, yes, but they possessed a familiar, darker shade.

"Am I? You're right. I can be kinda mean sometimes," Summer smiled, a canine sliding over her bottom lip. A dangerous little knife glint. "But I can also be..._very nice_, too. Sometimes. Want me to show you?"

Raven gulped reflexively. She should have really known better by now; but when it came to parsing out other peoples feelings, she was still, at times, off the mark. Summer had not been _irritated_ at being left alone, apparently.

_It was a trap. An adorable, sexy trap._

"Well I mean," Raven started, almost stammering. "The guys are, ah. Somewhere?"

"Mmhm?" Summer continued to smirk, running a hand smoothly over her side. "Wow, I wonder how that, just, magically happened?"

"It um. It beats me," Raven glanced at the door, then down at her girlfriend.

_Devious, very devious scheming, is how that fucking happens..._

Summer beamed at her, arms still covered in flour as she played with the hem of Raven's skirt. She gestured with a finger, and Raven instinctively leaned in closer; Summer kissed her, the motion languid, sensual. Raven felt herself relax into the sensation, the noise in her mind quieting.

"Mmm," Summer hummed playfully against her mouth, pleased with herself, before pulling away. She stared into her eyes; Raven realized dimly that she couldn't have looked away even if she wanted to.

"Go lay down," Summer suddenly declared, turning to wash her hands.

Raven hesitated, considering her own desires carefully, before deciding that was really not such a bad idea. A part of her considered pushing back, just to see what would happen, when she noticed Summer appraising her own reactions from the corner of her eye.

Raven knew the other girl was actually very cautious when it came to her advances towards her, and that she did not want Raven to be uncomfortable at any point. She always approached Raven's more obvious boundaries as if they were practically sacred, always asking permission to be anywhere near them; ready to bolt away at the slightest sign that her presence was unwanted. Summer was literally obsessed with the concept of consent, and the languages and means necessary for negotiating such. Regardless, there was honestly still a lot about how Summer liked to express her sexuality that Raven was still learning about; but Raven did, if anything, love learning.

Trying to play it cool, she smirked, rolled her eyes affectionately, and went into the other room. There was a nervous flutter in her chest, but it was the good kind. Her eyes flicked between their respective beds. She settled on Summer's, and kicked her shoes off, resting her hands behind her head as she tried to be casual.

Summer continued moving around in the kitchen, utensils clattering in the sink and water running as she cleaned up. Raven fought to not keep looking apprehensively at the door, annoyed with herself more than anything.

It wasn't like they hadn't crossed that bridge together, already; not that she hadn't been pretty nervous then, either, but that hadn't really been planned like this. Nor had it been in their dorm room at school; she knew that it technically didn't matter.

Places were just places after all, but this was their home, the one they shared with one another. It was a mingling of spaces, and bringing that energy here versus anywhere else made her feel strange. It had a sense of permanence to it that she hadn't really expected.

_You can always say no._

True. She knew that, and she knew if she did that it be accepted immediately, no questions asked. The thing was that she didn't want to say no. She...liked sex. Which honestly surprised the hell out of her. Sex had never been a thing she gave much mind to, previously. There had been the trauma from her childhood, but that wasn't something she personally considered as being in the same neighborhood. Dust, it wasn't even the same continent.

Sex had always seemed like such a waste of time and energy to her. The way people practically slavered all of themselves trying to get a few minutes of pleasure in by rubbing sweaty bodies together; it had never struck her as being nearly so important as other people tried to make it out to be. She had never understood what the obsession with it was, and to a degree, still didn't.

Before Summer, she had never really even thought about being that way with someone else, save in clinical scenarios in her head that never woke up any actual feelings. She had previously assumed that perhaps there was something wrong with her, and accepted it as just another strange feature in her already strange head. Now she realized that not everyone needed that wiring to be 'normal', no matter what society said. The pursuit of sex in itself still did not interest her, personally; the pursuit of that connection with Summer, however, was something she greatly enjoyed and still wanted much more of.

She stared at the ceiling, lost in thought, a variety of images making the rounds in her mind. She tried to imagine being that way with other people, and still could not. Save for, perhaps, one. Her mouth twitched in wry amusement at the idea. That would be...very different, she knew. Completely different, in fact, but not necessarily bad. Between the two of them, they would have no clue what they were doing, though; which in itself could be amusing.

Raven studied the emotions the idea brought up in her, ranging from humor and desire to something more squishy: vulnerability. Now that was odd, because it was a different kind of vulnerability than she had around her partner. She wasn't sure why.

She noticed a weight at the end of the bed and nearly jumped, her eyes darting down to meet Summer's own silver. The faunus was studying her face carefully, not having made the move to touch her.

"Hey. Where'd you go?" Summer asked.

Raven blinked at the question, before finally understanding.

"Oh. I'm not really sure, to be honest," she chuckled a little.

"...You ok?" Summer started. "If you're aren't feeling it, we can like, watch movies and have a no boys night instead."

Summer always worried that she was somehow the problem. Raven really wished she wouldn't, but also knew she'd just have to teach her otherwise. She more than anyone knew how deeply ingrained certain insecurities could be.

Raven smiled sincerely, reaching a hand out and took Summer's fingers in her own. Summer's face was still a tinge too concerned, but she seemed to relax as Raven pulled her up next to her on the bed. Raven wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, relishing the feel of her. She burrowed into Summer's chest playfully, eliciting a round of amused giggles that brought a smile to her face.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Raven insisted with a salacious smile, enjoying the brief amount of pink that lit up Summer's face.

That rapidly changed as Summer's eyes darkened, the faunus rolling on top of her with a hungry smile on her far too pretty face. Raven felt her neck heat instantly at the image, and she nearly grumbled at her traitorous body. It was so unfair that she blushed so much.

"Hmm, well, we can definiiitely fix that," Summer purred, her hands ghosting up Raven's arms. "But first things first, I have to make a few requests."

"O-oh?" Raven hummed, her pulse quickening.

"Yep," Summer ghost her lips over her neck. "One, that's verrryy important, is that you keep your hands up here. No matter what."

She placed her hands over her head by the board, pressing them into the pillow firmly. Raven raised a brow calmly.

"Ok. That might be a little difficult," she smirked, trying to come across as far more confident than she really was.

"I believe in you," Summer teased, before lifting her hands away. "Two, you don't finish until I say so."

Raven's face heated, destroying her blase facade instantly.

"Um...anything else?" she stammered.

Summer ran her eyes over her body, her affection and lust plain for all the world to see; Raven felt her breath stutter, her core heating automatically.

"Just one final thing," Summer leaned in, pressing a heated kiss to her ear. "Until I say otherwise, you call me ma'am. Ok?"

Raven's mouth twisted in a smile, feeling cheerfully devious.

"Ha...yes ma'am."

"Hmm. _Good girl_."

And their lips met.


	5. Chapter 5

Music Choices: Spectral Friends by Maraton

Eclipse

Chapter 5

Back to School Part III

The upperclassmen had finally piled into the auditorium. There was the expected hooting and hollering as they applauded and jeered the new freshmen who had survived the entrance exams; Raven noted however, that they were far more somber a crowd this year than the one when they had been introduced. There were certainly no fireworks, illicit or no.

Part of this melancholy was simply because there were less of them, now; but it was mostly because the survivors of Mountain Glenn were also, that much older mentally. They knew what waited for all prospective Hunters outside of Beacon's walls, what they might all be called upon to do and sacrifice at any moment; and now, those shining, nervous faces up on the stage were going to be a part of that.

Still, they cheered for the new freshmen. Summer was the loudest of STRQ, next to Taiyang, who was clapping heavily and whistling. Raven applauded calmly, studying the new teams and noting that there were definitely more of them this year. Whether that was due to Murt's passing the torch on to Peter Port as the next combat instructor, or whether it was due to Beacon needing to make up numbers, she couldn't say. However, instead of there being only seven or eight fresh teams lined up on the stadium, there were now fourteen.

The auditorium quieted, encouraged by the menacing little form of Professor Arc, as well as the presence of Ozpin. Raven stilled automatically, tensing as she spotted the headmaster of Beacon. She hadn't seen him in person since the funeral several months previously.

The young headmaster waited for silence, his hands clasped calmly behind his back. His eyes roved over the students, and Raven tensed further when his eyes ghosted over STRQ, before continuing. She wondered if he even noticed the gaps in the crowd, and if he did, was he simply counting the numbers? Or did he really feel the weight of the students missing?

Ozpin took a deep breath, before looking down at the list in his hands.

"Welcome home, all of you. I can't convey how glad I am, to see you once again. I know that it was a...tremendously difficult choice to return, for some of you. With the events of last year, especially, and the friends and family that we all have lost to those forces that seek always to tear us down," he said gently.

The auditorium was more silent than a mausoleum. Qrow and Raven exchanged glances.

"Being a hunter is something more than just a job. It isn't only a duty, or a privilege, or any of the pretty words that the recruiting adds come up with. It is more than being a shield, or a sword, or a scythe. It is more than just fighting monsters," he continued, clutching the list in his hands. "Each and every one of you is more than I or anyone else could ever convey in a single speech, or in a lifetime. The things you do, the things you face, make you more. Each year we celebrate the forming of teams, and honor the name given to that bond; and this year I would like to explain why this is such a precious event."

The freshmen on stage were staring at the headmaster, eyes wide; as if he was the only thing in the whole world that mattered.

"In the old traditions, it is said that the true names of a person or force have power. When you name something, you aren't giving it power necessarily, you are simply stating the truth of that thing; you are giving it a groove through which it can interact with the world , so that that truth can become manifest. To see a team of people who wish to be more, together, and give their bond a name is to help them and all that they are become manifest in the world, so they can enact change and become empowered."

Summer's ears flicked as she watched the headmaster, her face pensive. Raven felt her eyes narrow; she knew about the magical concept of names and power, and she also knew that Ozpin was leaving out a very important detail. Knowing the true name of something could give a magic user power over that force, entity or person. She could practically hear her mother scoffing in her head.

_Does he really think that naming us will give him control over us?_

"So today, when we present your classmates with their new monikers, I want you each to understand that this is not just a stuffy old excuse for pomp and circumstance," Ozpin carried on, heedless of her skepticism. "This is the moment where their power and fates become manifest. Where they join you, and all those who have come before, and all those who have left but their fingerprints on our hearts, as more."

Taiyang actually sniffled besides her, and Raven gave him a dry stare. He wiped his nose briskly, ignoring her and Qrow as they observed his waterworks. She realized he wasn't the only person in the hall that had grown a bit teary. Raven glanced away, playing with feathers at her hip.

_Perhaps I'm just a cynic_...

She looked at the blonde again, realizing that maybe he was simply mourning his loss. Evan and Tai had been quite close, and she knew that the loss of his friend and mentor had to have shaken him; but the blonde could be just as bad as she was at expressing certain things. Besides the funeral, she hadn't seen him really cry, or heard him talk much about it.

After an awkward pause, she reached out and took his fingers in her own. His eyes flicked to her, surprise written all over his face; she didn't say anything, feeling distinctly self conscious over the gesture. A part of her honestly expected him to let go. He sniffed again, and smiled at her, a sad smile that made her heart twinge. As Ozpin continued with the ceremony, Raven looked ahead, Tai's hand still gently grasping her own.

"So, without further ado, I present to you the newest freshmen class of Beacon," Ozpin said, smiling softly. Behind him, the overhead screen flashed.

"Fiyero Casanova. Lilith Valentina. Naomi White. Terris Bernstein."

The acronym FLNT flashed over the screen in tasteful monochrome.

"You collected the white rook pieces in record time," Ozpin nodded to them. The boy, Fiyero, grinned brightly at the comment, folding his arms proudly. "From this day forward, you are team 'flint'. Lead by Fiyero Casanova."

The boy brushed his curly brown locks from his eyes, beaming victoriously; Raven duly judged him as arrogant and likely in over his head. His book-wormish looking partner, Lilith, seemed to deflate at this news. The rest of the auditorium clapped politely, as Ozpin moved on.

"Genevieve Rasputin. Leonardo Lionheart. Matias Saurez. Richard Xavier."

Another flash on the projected screen, the acronym GLMR portrayed with slightly sparkly ink splashes.

"You collected the black knight. Your name is 'glamour'. And your team leader is Leonardo Lionheart."

A nervous looking faunus boy blinked owlishly at the headmaster's words, clearly taken aback, his lion's tail swishing behind him. Summer lit up at this news, applauding vigorously; Raven spotted Matias, his own tail looping by his feet. He met her eyes in the crowd, and she smiled at him. He grinned back, waving a little.

"Rihanna Gladsbrook. Alejandro Saurez. Zabrina Williams. Raakel Johnson."

Another transition, as the letters RAZR slashed over the screen viciously.

"You set another record by collecting the white rook. Your new name is 'razor', and you will be led by Rihanna Gladsbrook."

A very pretty girl with a chocolate complexion, died blue hair and a calm smile lit up at this, as Alejandro beamed at her, looking just a tad bit smitten. The other girl on the team, Zabrina, sent her new leader a calculating glance that lasted a mere fraction of a second before she too, smiled. Raven noted the interaction automatically, before Ozpin carried on.

The ceremony lasted a good fifteen minutes overall as Oz went through the long list of recruits, before finally giving the last team their names. With a few parting words, he finally dismissed them all, bidding them to get well rested before the start of classes. Raven realized she was still holding Taiyang's hand as the bodies scurried about them, friends pressing close to one another they talked excitedly.

Raven let go as she stalked through the crowds, noticing how other teams and classmates seemed to part before her and the rest of STRQ; they were drawing more looks than normal, a few whispers here and there reaching her ears.

"I heard they evacuated half the city on their own-"

"Can you even imagine fighting a Grimm like that? How the fuck could they even survive-"

"BBLK, too, did you _fucking see _Becca's arms? That must have been sooo scary."

"-no way they won't go on to the Vytal tournament, it's a shoo in."

Raven didn't know whether to smirk at this newfound notoriety or to be annoyed; people fearing her could certainly be useful, but people admiring her was definitely not something she was used to. Qrow was clearly enjoying the attention, and kept shooting attractive people flirty smiles whenever he made eye contact. Summer, as was natural, did not seem to even notice the uptick in attention, focused as she was on talking to them. Taiyang seemed mostly confused, but stayed close to them as a few people gave Summer blatantly appraising stares.

"Welp! You guys hungry?" Summer declared as they exited the auditorium. "Because lemme tell you, I am friggin starving."

"Aww man, Sum, what's the matter? You kids not, ah, eat _enough _last night-"

"Qrow, shut up," Raven hissed at her twin, ears heating immediately. Her brother laughed at her face, and she swatted at him, missing.

"Whaaat, Rae rae? You gotta keep your stamina up," Qrow drawled, his eyes twinkling. "What with all the _training _you've got goin on this year, you know? Trust me, it can really wear you out if you're not careful."

He loved that he could now make fun of her for her own exploits, which was surely years of karmic debt that she had incurred on her part. Not that she would ever, ever admit that.

"Don't be a pest," she sneered.

"Yea, shut up, fuckbird," Tai laughed, earning a salty glance.

"Hey, I'm just saying, maybe I'm a little tired too? From being locked out of my room half the night-"

"You big hypocrite!" Summer spun, her face full of laughter. "Who kept putting his friggin socks on the door last year? No texts, no warning, just dirty ole socks!"

"Bullshit, I always gave you guys a heads up," Qrow waved, still chuckling as Raven glared daggers at her twin. "And that was like two times, I usually kept it out of the dorms anyways, because I am a gentleman-"

"Bologna! You did not!" Summer exclaimed.

"Definitely happened more than twice," Tai counted on his fingers. "I distinctly remembering walking into the bathroom with no prior warning, while you and James were-"

Qrow rounded on his partner, glaring.

"Excuse me, but who the fuck doesn't knock when they're coming into a bathroom?!"

"What?! I had to **go**, Qrow!" Tai held his hands up. "And I was the fucking victim in that scenario, ok!? I did not want to see _any_ of that! And I _did not _get to pee! I had to go to ARSN's room!"

"Tch, you're just jealous," Qrow groused.

Tai made a face, before launching into another outraged diatribe. The conversation devolved from there, but at least Qrow wasn't focused on making fun of Summer and herself anymore. Raven could feel her ears burning, and promised herself due vengeance, as they made their way towards the mess hall once again.

"He is such a butt," Summer chuckled, falling in beside her. "I even made him fudge cookies as a bribe and everything! He _never_ made me cookies, like, once."

Raven's lip pulled into a smirk.

"Don't worry," she hummed. "We'll get him back."

Summer's ears flicked as her silver eyes lit up impishly.

"Oooh? I do I detect a prank in the works?" Summer whispered.

Raven winked at her, the gears turning in her mind. She felt that, despite everything else, this semester was going to be about having fun.


	6. Chapter 6

Music Choices: Me and My Friends are Lonely by Matt Maeson, Alligator Teeth by Mother Falcon, Infamous Butcher by Amigo the Devil

Eclipse

Chapter 6

Singe Marks

_Present..._

Qrow sat on the patchy sofa in Becca's living room. He stared at the carpet, tracing patterns between the little singe marks that told the story of drunken nights and an overactive Semblance. He briefly considered he was dreaming; he'd always had such vivid lucid dreams, ever since he was a kid. However, when he glanced up and met his twin's bloody eyes across from him, he knew he was awake. The truth in them wasn't something his imagination could conjure up.

_Oh fuck..._

That and the fact that Becca On Her Bullshit Forzani, of all the fucking people in the world, was there mediating. Becca hadn't spoken much once Raven led him into the room, his twin moving like she was an usher at the wake of a funeral. Other than to supply a few answers, Becca had let Raven do most of the talking.

The two women, once the most bitter of enemies, were actively working together; working to right a wrong he was still trying to wrap his head around.

_Oh fuck, Sum. Why? Why didn't you say anything?_

"So let me...fuck, man," he rubbed his stubble. He felt so tired, and pulled in a dozen directions. "Ok. Becca, how did you really get involved in any of this?"

The brunette gave him a blunt stare, taking a sip from a bottle of bourbon that she and Raven had been sharing intermittently.

_How did this chick of all people see what we couldn't?_

"I told you already, dinghus," Becca exhaled, wiping liquor from her lips. "But I can spell it out further, if you need it."

Qrow shrugged, his face settling in a habitual sneer.

"If it's not too much trouble," he gestured. "Humor me."

Raven eyed him silently.

"Fine. People come to me these days because I work outside the system," Becca started, moving her fingers in air quotes. "There's a hefty portion of the population that doesn't trust the police or the Hunters that work in law enforcement, more than ever. There's a lot of people on the fringe who've had bad experiences with them, often with records of their own, many of whom are actively trying to find their missing family members. And they're the ones that initially got me interested, because so, so many of them have too much in common. A brother, a sister, a parent, a child, usually one with mental illness or a history of antisocial personality behaviors - someone who is claimed to draw the Grimm with their so called negativity, someone deemed socially undesirable. That person may have been hospitalized, they may have been on the streets, they may have been employed or at school; where they are when they are taken, and they _are_ taken, doesn't matter. Sometimes there are even witnesses, who just conveniently forget what they saw or claim they weren't there. Whatever the case, these people vanish into thin fucking air at a rate that is alarming to anyone paying attention."

Qrow listened, feeling more than a little skeptical. People were hard to keep track of, realistically speaking, especially someone who may have more than one reason to disappear. Kids ran away, parents decided they didn't want to be with their families; people left, and sometimes there wasn't a good reason. There wasn't a good reason for the wreckage bleeding out behind them. Becca and Raven watched his expression together, before Becca continued.

"There's video evidence, in a lot of these cases. But that's not the point. I've done the math, and this shit? It's a fucking epidemic. It's a silent catastrophe, and what's worse, is that the police know about it and aren't tracking it like they should be. Trust me, trying to get the BTF to release an actual list of the missing victims was a real gods damned pain in my ass. Oh, and as for the people who do decide to investigate? People like Arc, people like Summer Rose? Journalists, Hunters, police officers, all of them either suddenly get reassigned, or they disappear or they fucking die. Anyone with half a brain could trace the pattern."

Qrow waited a few moments before speaking, trying to digest this information and his own emotions on the subject.

"Ok. So people are missing, and the folks that look into it are made to go away. You discover this, you realize that Summer and Arc knew about this issue as well, and were both killed under suspicious circumstances. The police won't help, other Hunters won't help, and sooo you come to the decision to go on a months long quest to find...Raven?"

He looked at his twin. It had been a long time since they had really shared a room together, had a gods honest face to face conversation. Sure, Rae liked to check on the girls and on Tai in her second skin, and he always recognized her when he saw her. But they didn't talk in person, just over scrolls; always cold, always annoyed.

He thought about that day, all those years ago, when she'd brought Summer's body back; how all the light in her eyes was just...gone. It was like looking at a stranger. There was a frigid void where his sister had been; and when they had fought, when Tai had begged her to come fucking home to her daughters, there was nothing there but disdain. Qrow had felt like he had lost two people he loved that day.

Right now, though, she looked more like herself than she had in years. Her frame was buzzing, alert, angry. Her eyes had a fire in them that he had truly believed had been completely snuffed out; and he felt more than a little guilty that he had ever really believed that the values that had always made his sister so fucking driven had been replaced solely by self preservation.

"Yep," Becca nodded briskly.

"Can I ask why?" he drawled. "No offense, but you two fuckin loathed each other."

Raven's lip twitched.

"Because I knew she would give a shit," Becca declared, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And because she's outside the system, too."

_Knew she would give a shit, huh?_

Qrow took a swig of whiskey, studying the private investigator.

"Again, no offense, but uh. There a still people here that give a shit, too. It just seems like a stretch, is all."

Becca blinked, folding her scarred arms.

"I couldn't be too careful. These people have eyes and ears literally all over the Kingdom," Becca waved, brushing him off.

Meaning Becca did not trust him. Which, really, why would she? She hated his guts. But he had believed that she hated Raven the most out of any of them. It didn't add up.

He opened his mouth again when Becca cut him off.

"Look, I appreciate the point you're trying to get at? But honestly? I think your little family drama is getting in the way of your deductive fucking reasoning," Becca coughed, dusting her hands briskly. "So here's the deal, mmkaay? I'm gonna go pick up some food, because it's gonna be a looong night, and you two are going to talk out your bullshit while I'm gone. Because I am not your family counselor."

Qrow gave the huntress a bleak stare as she waved over her shoulder at him.

"Try not to break any of my things, k?"

The Branwen twins made awkward eye contact once again. The apartment's door slammed shut; the only sound was the torrential rain, pounding against the glass.

Qrow stirred his glass, sighing at length as he leaned his elbows on his knees. His scythe lay propped carelessly besides him.

Raven's eyes peered at him carefully, a familiar expression on her stony face. He could practically envision the numbers floating over her head as she tried to calculate the best approach for this conversation. Qrow had never been much of a math guy, himself.

"Look, Rae," he started. "I know things have been...well, they've been shit between us. So forgive me if I don't know where to start."

Raven's mouth twitched again, just enough. It may as well have been outright laughter. He ignored it, trying to sort through the gulf of issues and emotions that raged between them.

"So I'm just gonna go for the Goliath in the room," he drawled. "Cuz I don't know what else to do. Why did you leave? The first time. Why did you do it?"

_Because you would have rather died than explain yourself_.

Raven stared at the carpet, her face settling as she wrestled with whatever it was that always made her try to censor herself. She fidgeted with the feathers at her hip.

"Have you ever actually met Salem?" she asked after a long pause.

Her voice was quiet, not the typically terse tone she took when she was trying to overcompensate. There was no barbs, no insinuations. He raised an eyebrow.

"Not yet, no. I've seen plenty of the shit she's made up in that little castle of her's though."

_That little castle you were caged in for months. That little castle where mom..._

"Salem is," Raven struggled to get the words right. "Something **other**. She isn't human, faunus. She isn't Grimm. Ozpin's descriptions leave out more than the truth, they make her seem like she isn't in control of herself, like she's just a puppet for powers she can't tame; but she isn't. She's more than that. She is a manifestation of forces. All the dark things we try to hide from, but never actually can."

Qrow's brow furrowed, trying to actually listen, to hear what she wasn't saying.

"Her very aura is. It warps reality. In her presence, you see things as she sees them. Things that she thinks are beautiful. Things that she wants _everyone _to see as beautiful."

He swallowed, stirring his drink anxiously.

"And I am...connected to that, now. Without Ciara's help, or Set's, I probably wouldn't be able to function. I can feel...the things she feels, through the bond, when it isn't blocked. And I don't think the connection is only one way. She know's how to use my Semblance against me, and she can activate it if I'm not warded."

Qrow stared numbly, feeling a swell of nausea curling up from his stomach.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" she whispered, meeting his eyes.

Qrow remembered the day she had called him, her voice dead of all emotion; telling him she was going back to Anima. That she was leaving them, all of them. How she had just hung up, with no explanation. How he had found Yang crying in her crib hours later, louder than he had ever heard her yet. Bawling, completely terrified. Yang never got scared like that, even as a baby.

"...I. Raven?" he leaned forward, his voice hoarse. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"What could I have said?" she asked, looking around the room for an answer. "Qrow? What could I possibly fucking say?"

He winced, digging, trying to find words himself.

"That I brought that shit into our house? That I walked into Yang's room after I woke up-" she cut off, her voice raw, her face pained. "And that fucking thing was just...holding her? Smiling?"

He felt cold. His nape was prickling, a thousand images running through his head. Yang's fun loving laughter rang his ears as she sprinted away from her father. Ruby, hanging from her shoulders, trying to pick her ears, giggling riotously. Yang riding a motorcycle for the first time, falling head over heels in love with the metal, speed and freedom it embodied. All those precious memories had very nearly not happened.

_Holy shit, fire cracker_.

"What...how? How did you get rid of her?" he asked, choking.

"Ha," Raven shook her head. "How could I have? I mean, I was going to try. I remember...trying. Until she, well; in the end, it was just a display. She wanted to make a point, I guess. And she fucking did."

Qrow rubbed his hands through his hair, trying to get a hold of the terror. Raven gave him a hard, knowing look, one reminiscent of Morrigans past.

"That's why I chose," she said, her voice steady. "And even now, after everything that it cost, I can't fully bring myself to regret making that decision at the time. Because I saw what would be if I didn't. And that? That wasn't an option."

He hesitated, ruffling his hair.

"I mean. Can't Ciara like, kill the bond? Or one of the Jiani, can't they help you?"

Raven gave him a dry look, tilting her head.

"You think I didn't try? Trust me, we did," she sighed. "It nearly killed me, more than once. It's different from the others. Like a fucking tumor, a cancer in my head. I take the drugs, I take the chemo, I keep it in check. But one day, brother, it's going to consume me entirely; there is no other outcome. I think that's why..."

She trailed off, before taking up the bottle Forzani had been working on, twisting it in her hands.

"She let us go, to be honest. She wants people out in the world that see things the way she does, feels what she feels. She wants people that acknowledge her," Raven watched the liquid in the bottle, sloshing like waves in an amber ocean. "It makes her happy."

Qrow's lips parted, a cough escaping him. His chest felt tight, as the weight of what Raven was conveying really hit home. He didn't speak for a long time, just held his head, trying to process it.

_All these years, and you never even said..._

"God damnit," he growled, looking up. "Fuck you, Rae."

Raven's eyebrows cocked, her expression sardonic.

"You should have told us," he continued, angry. "Even if you still made the same decision to leave, you should have still fuckin told us _why_. You took away our right to chose too, you know that right? Dippin out like that, like you were a Dust damned plague bearer or something, where did you think that was the right thing to fuckin do!"

She stared at him blankly, then the bottle again.

"Tai and Summer were out of their fuckin minds, for months, years! And I get it! You were trying to keep them safe, and Yang safe, and me safe, but fuck you for thinking you could make that Dust damned call without involving any us!" he smacked the coffee table next to himself. The table got a little unlucky, and a leg broke, the already dilapidated furniture keeling over. He didn't bother looking at it.

"That was so, so fuckin shitty of you! I don't care if you randomly combusted into radioactive flesh spiders every month, the least you could have done was said , 'hey guys, this is why I'm fuckin off into the wilderness'!"

"That's it? That's the part you're fixed on?" Raven droned skeptically. "Not the fact that I nearly got the entire household killed in the most horrifying manner possible?"

"Yea! You asshole!" Qrow barked.

Raven made a face, settling back in her chair, looking frustrated.

"How are you not graspin this?!" Qrow exclaimed, tossing his hands. "You aren't this fuckin dense, I know you aren't!"

She glared at him silently, and he glared back. After a brief bout of mutual sneering, Raven glanced off. She took a deep breath, exhaling. She fidgeted again.

"...I'm sorry," she muttered. "I should have, I know that. I wish I had had the strength to do it. But I thought if I told them, they would have tried to fix it. I knew that they _couldn't, _that they wouldn't want to accept that, and.. I just wanted her to have a better life, than I did. A better childhood. I felt that if I stayed, that there was little chance of that."

Qrow grimaced, rubbing his brow angrily, trying to smooth the lines out. He understood what she was saying, and he hardly knew what the hell he would have done in that situation, but he was still angry; at her, at himself. At fuckin Summer, too. Because it seemed as if Summer had pulled a similar stunt, one that she had ultimately paid the price for.

_How did things ever get like this?_

He sighed, took another drink of whiskey, and glared at the singe marks on the carpet. Their whole world had burned down, and they were the ones holding the matches the entire time. Now one real question remained: where do we go from here?

"Alright," he grimaced, trying to think. "Alright, so...that's a thing."

"Yep," Raven drawled.

"And this other stuff," he groaned, finishing his drink. "Dust damnit. The girls. How much do they know?"

Raven's face grew even more serious as she leaned forward, mimicking his posture.

"I'm not certain . Maybe as much as Becca and myself; probably less. But considering their natures, we'll need to act quickly," she admitted. "Especially where Yang is concerned."

"Yea, no fuckin kiddin," he rasped. "You said you were going to meet them?"

Raven nodded, her eyes shining with anxiety.

"Ren and Nora are setting up a neutral meeting ground, where we can hopefully get a handle on the situation. The main issue will be getting them to at least concede to do nothing. And to not go around asking questions," she narrowed her eyes in thought. "Which, I confess, I have no idea how to manage that on my own."

Qrow raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"You remember how damn stubborn you were when you were her age?"

Raven snorted.

"Don't remind me."

"Well, fire cracker is like a hundred times worse," he chuckled, shaking his head. "And Rubes is no push over, either. She's just nicer about it. I doubt that will apply to this situation, though, considering..."

"Yea," Raven sighed. "I know."

Qrow scratched his chin slowly, playing out a few possibilities in his head.

"I mean, we could always pull the Vanilla card," he floated the idea. Raven gave him an apprehensive look from her chair. "Tai won't let them get themselves killed. And he definitely deserves to know what happened. He needs to know _all _of it."

"Wrangling Ruby and Yang is going to be difficult enough," Raven protested, her face pinched. "Taiyang _will_ lose his absolute fucking shit over this. And I frankly can't deal with all these factors at once. I can't hunt down the people responsible, while also worrying about renegade toddlers making a mess of everything, _and_ Ruby and Yang."

Qrow chuckled briefly at the comment.

"He's more mature than you remember, ya know?"

"Maybe," Raven shrugged. "But we need to do damage control, first. Not pour jet fuel on the flames."

He considered her argument, before rubbing his palms together.

"Right. Well, I can assist on the Rubes and Yang front," he nodded. "Once we get that cleaned up, and get further on collecting evidence, then we need to bring Tai in. We owe him that. He's gonna be pissed enough as it is."

Raven acquiesced after a moment, looking like she had swallowed vinegar. He poured her a finger of whiskey and offered it like an olive branch across the singed beige sea between them. Raven huffed, pushing her hair from her eyes and took the glass.

"Drink up, kiddo," he droned. "It's gonna be a long fuckin night."

...

The man sat on the fire escape across the street of the cramped apartment building, watching. Waiting. The rain poured over his dark clothes, but he didn't mind. He liked the feeling.

A door on the ground level opened, and a brunette woman in street attire walked out, rain steaming eagerly off her clothes. She glanced about the street, eyes ghosting over him heedlessly, before scurrying down the sidewalk; she walked with a purpose, the lithe stride of a huntress.

The man watched her go, invisible to the naked eye. He considered tailing her, but was equally curious about the window where she lived, three floors up. The lights were still on, but the shutters were down. Indicating that either she planned to return quickly, or that people were inside. However, Forzani was known to live alone.

He took a drag of damp cigarette, exhaling gratefully through his nose. He was glad she had come back. He'd been truly, bloody bored. He was not a man that handled boredom well. It ended badly for other people.

He sat like a stone, like one of those funny gargoyles up on the royal families castle. He could sit there for days without needing real rest. He didn't need to sleep, because he never grew tired.

The minutes passed, the thunder talked, and he squinted at the window. No movement that he could see; however, he knew if he tried to listen in with other means, he would not be able to do so. He had already tried earlier. Little Becca had either gotten smarter, or she had smart friends. He could attempt using 'technology', but he wasn't that desperate yet. He considered himself a traditionalist.

After what was nearly an hour, he spotted his prey on the street once again, heralded by a blanket of steam. She was carrying several to go bags, a nice haul of cheap Mistralian chow from the joint a few blocks away. His lip pulled in delight. That was too much food for one person, and the woman did not plan ahead when it came to her meals.

_Well, that answers one question. Who else is in there with you, sweet thing?_

He lit another wet cigarette, watching the smoke curl into the air. The rain had let up, moving on to other parts of the Kingdom; in the distance he could see the sun set turning the clouds crimson and gold. Something nearby scuffled over the fire escape, and his black eyes darted towards the motion instinctively.

A cat was creeping along the walkway, her amber eyes fixated on him. Cat's could always see him, for some reason. They were spooky little rascals, their knowing gazes tracing his movements when no one else could. Despite this, he was rather fond of the little predators. He appreciated how they left people they liked little gifts of feathers and blood. He liked to do that, too.

The calico paused a few feet away, her ears flicking as she watched him. He smiled at her. After a few minutes, the cat slipped away, darting down the stairs to the alley below; off to scrounge up a meal.

His eyes flicked back up to the window. Still no motion behind the blinds; but that was ok. He took another drag, enjoying the burn in his chest contrasted with his wet clothes. They would have to come out into the open eventually.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes: I have big feelings about this.

Eclipse

Chapter 7

Singe Marks Part II

_Present..._

Yang struck the punching bag, focused only on the sensation of her fist meeting canvas and her own breathing. She let loose a flurry of strikes that rattled the chain attached to the ceiling. Her breath was heavy, knuckles coated in burning gold. She didn't know how long she had been in the gym, which had emptied slowly after the sun set.

She didn't let up, going through another sequence, one of several she had been repeating over and over. Her Semblance had stored up a lot of energy by this point, like flood water building up behind a dam. It raged beneath her skin; she could probably level the whole building and still have strength to spare at this point. But despite this, despite knowing the full extent of the power she had been gifted with her entire life, she still felt helpless; and it was driving her up the wall.

She had considered, not for the first time, leaving to go to the forest behind the school. To seek out some real enemies, ones more deserving of her wrath; something with teeth, and claws, and burning eyes and maws. Yet she recognized, dimly, that that would be a foolish choice; that and at any point now, Ruby would come back and Yang needed to be there for her.

She hated feeling this way.

Growling, she landed a hurricane of kicks and punches against her senseless opponent. Outside, the rain continued, like white noise on the radio. She panted, her blonde hair plastered to her sweaty cheeks. With a final, furious punch, her Semblance exploded outwards, and the bag caved and flew across the room, breaking free from its chain and crashing violently into the wall; she heaved, watching as it slid uselessly to the ground. This was the fourth bag she had gone through, it's tattered companions stacked against the wall next to it; luckily, she still had spares.

"Yang?"

The blonde looked up, eyes burning crimson, her aura rolling like magma. Weiss Schnee was standing behind her, still wearing her combat outfit, her face showing more than a little concern.

Yang inhaled slowly, forcing the waters back, as she let out a heavy huff; her Semblance reluctantly began to cool, storing the energy vibrating against her very bones for a later time. She needed to relieve the pressure, but she could hold it until the heiress left.

"...What do you want, Weiss?" she asked, brushing strands from her eyes.

She realized she sounded more than a little rude, and winced. Weiss didn't deserve her ire; the ice queen was being nice, which gods knew wasn't exactly easy for her.

Weiss's typical range of responses for rudeness did not manifest as the petite girl watched her carefully, trying to pick the right approach. She looked over the carnage that Yang had wrought over the last several hours, her face bemused, before stepping a little closer.

"Well, I wanted to see if you were...ok," Weiss sniffed a little. As if the concept was a foreign one. Yang's mouth curved in a rueful smile.

"Yea, I'm peachy," Yang chuckled darkly, gesturing to the slain bags. "I just need to cool off. I'll be back in a little bit, alright?"

"Will you?" Weiss asked skeptically. "It's pretty late, you know? And at this rate, waking you up in the morning is going to be a chore."

"Oh, well, sorry," Yang snarked, wiping her face with her gym towel. "If you're worried about tomorrow, don't be. I'll be in good form for the mission. Sooo, no stress ok?"

Weiss raised a prim eyebrow, folding her arms as she stared at her.

"I'm not worried about the mission, you dunce," Weiss proclaimed, tone drier than the desert. Yang almost offered her the water jug on the bench as a joke.

Weiss's face softened a little, and Yang paused, feeling as if they had entered territory unfamiliar to both of them. Her eyes cooled, slipping back to lavender as she watched her smaller teammate. Weiss rarely spared anyone save Ruby a look like that, and Yang didn't know what to make of it.

"I know we aren't...as close, perhaps, as you and Blake. Or Ruby, obviously," Weiss continued after a long moment. "But, you know you can talk to me too, right?"

Yang took a drink from her water jug, sighing in loud relief as the water cooled her; some splashed down her front carelessly, and Weiss didn't even comment on her sloppiness, a surprise in and of itself.

"Sure, yea I know. Don't worry, princess, you aren't failing in your duties or whatever," Yang exhaled, trying to wave her off.

Weiss scoffed, her blue eyes narrowing at the proclamation.

"Don't be an ass, Yang Xiao Long," Weiss declared.

It was probably a little inappropriate that Yang enjoyed it when the smaller girl said her name like that, with that look on her face. A memory of joyful silver eyes beaming adoringly at Weiss drifted through Yang's mind, followed by a trail of guilt. She winced, pulling her hairband off her wrist and putting her sweaty locks up into a messy ponytail.

"Sorry," Yang muttered, looking away.

Weiss huffed, shaking her head.

"Look," Weiss sighed, moving a increment closer. Yang watched her carefully from the corner of her eyes. "I won't pretend that I have any idea what you're feeling right now; or even the right to know. And I know that I'm far from being a comforting person. But if I've learned anything from you dolts this year, it's that, sometimes, talking about the things that hurt us makes the pain more manageable. And I am...concerned, that you aren't managing well, at the moment."

Yang's eyes widened a fraction, a tremor caught in her throat; she closed her eyes briefly.

"Gee, what gave you that idea?" Yang tried to tease, the tremor finding its way to her voice. It made her feel small. Weiss didn't respond; she didn't scoff, or huff, or snip at her. She just waited. Yang could feel the sutures in the dam begin to pull painfully.

"I," Yang started, glancing at the bench, the floor, anything. "I've been looking for answers, my whole life; trying to find out what happened to my birth mother. I always knew that I might not like what I found. I knew it would probably really suck. But I never even considered that the answers I _did _find would come from the other direction like that."

She looked up hesitantly at the icy girl across from her; Weiss met her eyes calmly, without demand. It was disconcerting, but Yang could feel herself begin to settle. She thought briefly about her talk with Blake the other week, remembering how she had tried to present herself similarly to her partner.

"I thought I knew what happened to Summer; that it was just another tragedy that can come with being a huntress. It...hurt, but I had accepted that. But now, I know that I really don't know a damn thing. I don't know anything at all. I guess I believed I was bettered prepared for the worst. And...," her voice trembled again. "And I wasn't. I'm not. I'm supposed to be able to handle the worst, and if I can't, then..."

_What good am I?_

Weiss's brow furrowed slightly as she studied her, processing the things Yang had laid out. Finally, she sighed and closed the gap between them, gesturing to the bench; Yang, despite her reservations, let Weiss guide her there and they sat down. Weiss folded her hands primly in her lap, still looking so put together. Yang had always wondered how the other girl could do that.

"Why do you think that?" Weiss asked after a moment.

"Huh?" Yang grunted brilliantly.

"Why do you think it's your job, and your job alone, to be the person that has to handle everything?" Weiss asked, sounding a little irritated.

Yang blinked.

"Because, it is. That's, I dunno, that's my thing."

"Why?" Weiss huffed.

Yang frowned, trying to explain herself. To justify herself.

"Because! That's my job! I take on the big stuff," Yang gestured broadly. "It goes with the territory of big sis, of being the oldest and being responsible-"

"So wait," Weiss cut her off, tossing her ponytail back imperiously. "You think what? That being Ruby's older sister means you have to handle devastating news better than anyone should be able to? That you can't be shaken by something that you have every right to be overwhelmed by?"

Yang paused, her mouth gaping a little as she tried to piece together a comeback.

"Yang," Weiss started, uncharacteristically gently. "It's ok to not always be able to handle things. It is, dare I say it, ok to be a mess when horrible things happen."

Yang felt her fingers clench as the emotions building in her chest pressed the sutures of the dam, a pressure that she didn't know how to direct.

"No one in their right mind would expect you to not hurt when you found out the woman who raised you was betrayed and murdered. And I don't think anyone is asking that of you, either," Weiss continued, blue eyes meeting lavender. "So why are you so unfairly demanding that of yourself?"

Yang could feel her eyes begin to burn, not with anger or her Semblance, but with tears. She turned away, glaring at the floor. She sniffed, frustrated. Weiss hesitated, before reaching a hand out and touching her arm; her fingers were cool, contrasting against the kinetic heat burning under Yang's muscles.

"...It's ok to not feel perfect, you know?" Weiss asked wryly, appreciating the irony. "Because, you are. Whether you believe it or not."

Yang sniffed again, wiping at the tears, but with less anger. After a few heartbeats, she glanced at her teammate. A small smile had found its way to her face.

"Since when did you figure that one out, huh?" Yang tried to tease, her voice thick.

"I have good friends," Weiss smiled back.

Yang laughed a little, the tears coming freely now.

"I..I thought we were all just dolts or whatever?"

"Oh, you absolutely are. But you're wise dolts. Sometimes."

Yang sniffled, her face a contrast of humor and grief. Her shoulders were shaking; and with a final exhale, the dam gave way. The grief and anguish poured out of her as Yang let herself cry openly, her chest shaking with quiet, sobbing breaths. She pressed her face into her hands and just let it go; and despite all that, despite Yang being an utter mess, Weiss stayed.


	8. Chapter 8

Music Choices: Blackbeak by Youngbloode Hawke

Eclipse

Chapter 8

A Low Buzzing

_Do you see it?_

Raven hesitated, eyes blinking in dazed confusion, before awareness shook her in its teeth; she turned sharply to look around her, her fingers reaching for her hilt. A field of fat summer wheat on top of a cliff, overlooking a strange forest that stretched out for miles below. Her neck was prickling, her breath short and causing puffs of cool mist in front of her. It was cold but it should be; there were no clouds, but she could hear thunder, or perhaps the howls of Beowolves.

_Do you __**see it**__?_

She looked down, spotting a odd, splotchy cat with white face markings. His tail waved in mirthful loops; the cat was smiling, but it was grim smile.

_Set?_

_Look. Out there._

Despite her caution, her eyes flicked back up; she realized that the sky had changed from various layers of blue to a sickly vermilion and violet. Juts of crystal tore from the soil like broken, purple bones. Immense Grimm circled a craggy outcrop; perched in it's terrible maw, glittering like the carapace of a carrion beetle, was a fortress or castle. Her eyes widened. For several heart-stopping moments, she felt as if she was looking into a one way mirror; and whatever was in that castle was looking back at her, with a million, bloodshot eyes.

What is it? she asked. Or thought.

Set turned from her. He was no longer a small cat; instead he looked like a man with many, indistinct faces, his body shifty, never in one precise form for very long. He looked back at her, his hair bright, bright red, and choppy.

_That's it. That's the source._

Raven felt her lips part in confusion.

_Of what?_

Set turned away, leaning back on his hands as he stared at the disturbing castle so far away, yet far too close for comfort.

"Of the corruption. Watch."

Raven did so. She could see lines of silver light, spider webbing out across the sky, the ground, everything; and every now and then, a pulse of grotesque blackness would swell and reverberate down the strands, rolling out from the castle. The black matter crawled and spiraled over their heads, reaching, grasping, rusting the very air it touched. Raven wanted to be sick.

"She's perched in there snug as can be," he hummed. "A literal recluse, sending out her little vibrations; a tumor plugged into the worlds nervous system, changing things. Twisting everything up in her web, whether it belongs to her or not. She is the embodiment of blasphemy."

Raven watched the energy continue to pulse and felt her gorge rise. She wasn't entirely sure what she was watching, but she knew it was rotten. The silver strands made her think of Summer, and Reaper, and what the aetheri saw.

"Haha," Set shook his head. Rings in his ears shook. Raven could smell smoke, like burning cedar. "She probably thinks she really is a god. It'd be cute, if it wasn't so fecking annoying."

"...The witch?" Raven whispered, a question half felt more than spoken. Set glanced at her, and his face was a Grimm's mask, grinning feline bone.

"The one and only. Remember, though. She's only half of the problem," he beamed, turning away from the castle.

His figure burned and darkened, oscillating between a spectrum of pitch and light. Raven remembered how Ozpin had claimed that Set used to be a man, who had pursued magical arts for his own gain and become a monster. She wasn't sure that was true. In fact, she was completely sure it was not.

"And the other half is...the warlock?" she muttered.

"Yes," Set proclaimed. "He's the bigger issue, to be frank."

"How so?" she watched the grass in front of her go through its seasons of life. Spring, summer, fall, winter; over and over and over.

Set stretched, his white, spiny vertebrae cracking as he shook his Grimm form.

"Because the fucker keeps resetting everything when he doesn't get his bloody way," Set growled, his tail whipping. "Change is natural! Chaos is what the stuff of life and soul is born of! But he doesn't understand that, because he is no longer a part of such things; he isn't something that _can _change. And when things go in a direction that he thinks is unacceptable, instead of seeing the big picture, he just backtracks everything. His hubris is causing the spiritual realms a lot of problems - and it's why **she** can keep turning as many as she does. He thinks he is opposing her? But in the long run, he is just weakening the world's immune system and allowing her to thrive and spread."

Raven tried to process this, her fingers clenching at her sides; she remembered her mothers' many warnings. She wasn't sure how she fit in this, or why Set was telling her anything to begin with; it's not like they were on the best of terms. It was safe to assume he had an agenda, one that likely involved Summer. Perhaps he hoped to get to Summer through her.

"If he had his way, nothing but butterflies and kittens would rule the land," Set groused. "And if she had hers, we'd all be slavering lap dogs, licking her heels and eating babies. The middle realm is a coalition of everything, you can't make it just be one end of the spectrum! Neither of them have the fecking maturity to bear their mantels! But I mean, how could they? Their souls are just so young, you know?"

Raven raised an eyebrow, glancing at the entity besides her; he was no longer a Grimm but an ethereal, shining thing, a cat like outline made of light.

"...They never should have been put in this position to begin with," he sighed, spires of light fluctuating as he spoke. "They're just babies, honest. And they never asked for this. Can't even say it's their fault."

She watched the sky grow black as the matter spread, turning the landscape to void.

"Mortals aren't meant to bear the mantels of gods."

...

She woke with a start, the sound of Taiyang's alarm buzzing from the nightstand by his bed. Raven inhaled slowly, realizing she was in their dorm room. It was the first official day of classes.

Raven brushed her hair from her face, looking around. Tai had yet to move from his lump state beneath his quilt; Summer was in the bathroom already, her scroll playing chipper music as she sang along quietly to it. In the kitchen, Raven could hear her twin making coffee.

She took another deep breath, pushing blankets back and dropping her feet to the floor. She considered at least telling Summer about her dream, if it really was even a dream, before deciding it could wait. They needed to focus on the day ahead of them, and she didn't want to spoil the mood; Raven didn't like always being the one to be the bearer of bad news. However, she knew was obligated to tell them eventually.

She glanced at her sword, which within arms reach, sheathed in its Dust chamber. She expected that she would shortly be putting it to good use, at least. Their schedule started off with Combat 201 and then was immediately followed by Tournament Dueling, and Weapons Mechanics. They would also be touching base with their mentors, to see where they were at with their training.

Normally, she would be pretty excited. However, the memory of Set and his words stayed in her mind, even as she dressed and prepared for the day ahead.

...

STRQ tore into their breakfast with gusto, Taiyang and Summer chattering enthusiastically over their plates as Qrow and Raven mentally prepared themselves to deal with other people. The mess hall was packed with teams in their school uniforms, and the general mood of the students was that of excitement.

Their table had been invaded, apparently, by Alejandro and Matias's new teams, who at least had the common sense to not be pests to the sophomores before seven in the morning. BBLK, however, as well as ARSN, were under no obligations to not harass them; and both teams were in form, being loud and asking everyone about their summer vacations.

"Oh my Dust, Summer, you guys! Guys, you have to tell them about what you diiiid!" Sigyn proclaimed suddenly, leaning across the table towards her sister to get her attention. Summer's sister had glued herself to her sibling upon her return, had made a habit of showing up in their room at all hours to demand time with her. Raven deduced that Sigyn had likely been quite lonely over the past several months; it was the only thing keeping her from snapping at her to be quiet.

Summer nearly choked on a pancake, her silver eyes bugging at the sudden attention. Taiyang very politically took a bite of sausage, while Qrow ignored the demand entirely. He had been extra grumpy that morning, likely because he had yet to see a certain military boy that he'd been quietly pining over for weeks.

"Oh! Um, well, it wasn't anything crazy," Summer simpered. Raven took a long sip of tea. "We went to visit Chiang Mai! Very interesting culture, lovely place."

"Yea, I got lots of souvenirs!" Taiyang proclaimed, seeing an opportunity to divert attention. He winked at her subtly as he started digging through the fanny pack, and Raven snorted.

"Really? IhavealwayswantedtogotoAnima!" Barty swooped into the conversation, summoned by opportunity to geek out. "Did you go to any other Settlements? Or to Mistral?!"

"Nooope, we mainly stayed there, and ah, the surrounding area!"

Raven held in a snicker. Summer was such a bad liar.

"Oh yea?" asked Argent, leaning on his forearms. He had grown out his hair over the summer, shaving only the sides. His partner, Reinhardt, was absorbed utterly by his scroll and laptop, navigating between the two. "You guys, um, have any particular reason for going there?"

He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Natalia, Sigyn's dark and blessedly quiet partner, stared at him with droll chagrin.

"Whaaaat do you mean?" Summer grinned innocently.

Taiyang suddenly pulled out his collection of Chiang Mai artifacts to show Barty; not all of which were tiny dicks on key-chains. Raven even spotted a familiar tacky shirt, and was incredibly curious how he had gotten his hands on it.

"Oh nothing, nothing, it's just I've heard that's the place to go if you're looking for a 'good time'?" Argent laughed. Raven felt her brow furrow in irritation.

"I thought that was your mother's?" she droned, setting her cup down. Argent blinked at her in surprise, as a round of giggles circled the table.

"Ouch, Branwen, nice to see you again, too," he laughed.

She smirked at him, shrugging lightly. She knew he didn't mean anything by it, and was likely ignorant; however, she also knew that most sex workers in Chiang Mai weren't there of their own accord, and a terrible amount were underage. In fact, it was Nwyfre's next target for a raid for that exact reason. She had no problem feeling completely unconcerned by that knowledge.

_Might even be a good opportunity to swell the tribe's ranks..._

The mild crisis of conversation had been diverted, Sigyn going with the flow of rapid talk and goofy laughter at the tiny dicks easily. Raven watched her teammates masterfully conceal the fact that they had been running wild with a bunch of outlawed free people for weeks, a soft smile finding its way to her face; in that moment, she felt incredibly blessed.

Her twin was shooting one of his looks, apparently on the verge of making fun her obviously squishy feelings, when he nearly popped up from where he'd been lounging. Raven followed his line of sight and spotted one James Ironwood, accompanied by his teammates, making their way through the line.

Qrow immediately started preening, and Raven caught his eye. She stared at him pointedly, until he flipped her off, an unrepentant smile on his face. She returned the gesture habitually, before staring back at the seniors. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

James's team had lost one of its members during the Fall of Moutain Glenn, a sweet, silly boy named Evan. Previously JADE, she wasn't sure what moniker they went by now. However, there did seem to be four of them.

A girl, or young woman rather, was following behind James, her hawk like face taking in the environment. She wore a blonde bun, and a rather witchy looking cape; at her hip was a riding crop, the weapon making Raven's eyebrows raise. An unusual choice, to be sure.

The seniors took their trays and walked past their table, following James's lead. Both Deidrick and Artemis paused to greet their protegees; however, James did not pause to say hello. In fact, he didn't even look at Qrow.

At the hurt expression on her twin's face, Raven quickly considered how much trouble she would get in for throwing a teacup at Ironwood's too stiff back. Taiyang also paused, despite being involved in telling a funny story, gaping blatantly at Jame's rude behavior. Deidrick caught Raven's eye, his calm expression shifting to one of concern and apology, before following after his partner and their newest member. The faunus tapped Jame's elbow, saying something to quiet to hear, before being brushed off as James sat down with the blonde. Raven glared at James openly, a sneer settling on her face.

Qrow brushed his hair back, assuming a nonchalant face that fooled no one that knew him, kicking his feet up on the table. Some of the freshmen stared at him, a few smiling innocently, probably thinking that he was cool and allowed to do that. Summer, smelling the tension in air, paused in her conversation, taking stock of her team and made the executive decision to get them out of the mess hall before they decided to bring back another long standing STRQ tradition.

"O-kaaay, time to go to class," she sang, picking up her empty plate. "Let's go, you kids be good!"

"No promises!" chirped Sigyn with a lazy salute, still trying to stuff a donut in her mouth. Natalia was watching Qrow, an empathetic softening around her normally frigid stare.

Summer shepherded her team out of the mess hall, ears flicking as she studied their body language. Qrow had his hands shoved in his pockets, he face a frozen grimace as he strode ahead. Summer fell back to talk to her and Taiyang, already looking worried; Raven couldn't help but feel a little guilty at that.

"What happened?" Summer asked quietly. "I missed it."

"James is being a total dick to Qrow," Tai insisted, speaking with his hands. "Didn't even look at him, didn't say hi. Nothing."

Raven held her tongue, trying to consider the facts. She knew that her brother and James had parted on good terms, though James had been upset over the loss of his teammate. She didn't know if they were in a commitment of any sort, besides a mentor-ship, but certainly hadn't been in platonic territory. They hadn't spoken all summer, so it wasn't as if Qrow could have said or done something to invoke a reaction like that.

Summer glanced at her, and she shrugged.

"I'm not sure why. But I can't think of an excuse."

She decided they would hold off on their prepared pranking session until the situation resolved itself. While her brother's love life was not her responsibility, she still wanted to be considerate towards him; Dust knew he supported her through her bullshit enough as it was. Even if he did enjoy making fun of her when he could.

Unfortunately solemn, the teammates made their way to class; in the back of her mind, Raven couldn't quiet the buzz of nerves sparked by her dream and these new developments.

_A year of fun, indeed_.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes: No one:

Absolutely No one:

Raven: *Slowly pours out entire tea kettle while maintaining furious eye contact* Fuck you.

Eclipse

Chapter 9

Armor

"And that was when I knew that I was destined become a Hunter!"

Raven twirled her pencil in her hand, considering the item dully. She could drive it into her skull and put herself out of her misery. She didn't have to listen to this sentient airbag if she was dead.

All around the auditorium, other sophomores looked to be in various stages of boredom and despair. Below them, Peter Port, was still pacing, his musket strapped to his back. He did not seem to recognize that he had lost his audience nearly an hour previous.

Besides her, Summer was struggling to pay attention. Last year, had the little faunus been subjected to this, she likely would have fallen asleep or at least started doodling. This year, she seemed to be doing her best carry on bravely in the face of soul numbing hubris. She had even taken notes. Her eyes were squinting in pained concentration, combating the desire to nap. Perhaps she believed this was honoring Murt's memory, by forcing herself to pay his replacement some measure of respect.

_She deserves better than this. Fuck, we all do. This is bloody insulting. _

Combat 201 was supposed to hit the ground running. They had surpassed the basics, they had proven themselves ready, and they were here to get the meat of their education before going out into the field for weeks on end with professionals. Listening to Petey drone on about his own limited accomplishments for two and a half Dust damned hours was not going to help them improve. It was not going to prepare them for squat.

Every person in this room had already done more than some Hunters ever would. They had lost friends, family, mentors. They were survivors, and they deserved better.

Taiyang had given up trying to focus and had fallen asleep, resting his chin on his chest, a slight trail of drool hanging from his mouth. Qrow was still sulking from breakfast, his feet kicked up on his desk as he too played with a pencil. Nearby, ARSN and BBLK were equally wasted by Port's monologue. Two other sophomore teams near the front were staring blankly at the crate in the center of the room, which sounded like it housed a minor Grimm, possibly an Abu.

_Enough._

Raven raised her hand, staring down at her so called instructor. Summer glanced at her, ears flipping up curiously. After a moment, Qrow turned to watch her.

Petey kept talking. He hadn't even looked her way. Several minutes passed; Raven kept her hand up, her glare never wavering. The other teams were now giving her their attention, desperate for something to latch onto other than Port's descriptions of his first encounter with a Beowolf when he was ten.

Finally, Petey seemed to notice that his trapped audience was paying attention to something other than the wall and their scrolls. He paused, before looking up at her, his mustache twitching in surprise.

"Yes Miss Branwen! You have a question?" he asked loudly, his voice full of genteel mirth. Raven took the image of her socking him in the nose and stored it for a later time.

"What are you doing?" she droned.

The room had already been quiet, and now it was deathly so, save for the screeches of the small Grimm in its cage. Port adjusted his glasses in bemusement.

"Why, what do you mean?" he hummed, hands on his hips.

Her classmates stared, their expressions changing from excruciating boredom to interest.

"I mean, why are you wasting our time like this?" Raven continued, her voice bleeding with contempt.

"Excuse me, young lady, but-"

"First of all, you are a few years older than me at most. Do not call me 'young lady'," she drawled, unable to keep the knife edge from her voice.

Sigyn and Natalia snickered in appreciation nearby, as Barty and Katay's jaws dropped in sync. Even Becca looked surprised. Qrow was smirking, looking between her and Port.

Petey paused, his cheeks turning a bit pink. She continued before he could have the chance to further derail this class.

"You have a duty now as our Professor to teach this class to the best of your abilities," she continued, her voice cold. "You have a duty to your mentor's memory to honor his skills and the things he worked his ass off to achieve, by taking care of his students and imparting as much knowledge on us as you can. Our careers, and our lives, depend upon your ability to do this. I fail to see how telling us stories all about your grand fucking achievements is going to help us survive or improve. So please, since you love talking so much, tell me how this is going to prepare us for more than we've already faced?"

Petey's face was bright red at this point. Everyone in the class stared in shock. Raven did not care. He struggled for several moments to come up with a response.

"Eager for a detention right out the gate are we, Miss Branwen?" he rallied, chest puffing. Raven didn't flinch.

"At this point, a detention sounds better than listening to your pompous horseshit," Raven droned, tilting her head mockingly. "But please, by all means. Write me up for demanding you uphold the standards of this establishment. Perhaps Professor Arc would be willing to take over for you while you research what it means to be a combat instructor for Hunters."

Summer sighed, face-palming. Qrow started laughing roughly, nodding along. Taiyang was still dead asleep.

"She's got a point, sir," declared Liana Hollis. The aura buffer had held her hands apart, as if to measure the size of the point Raven was making. "Not to be rude, but maybe we could get a do-over? I'm sure teaching a class isn't easy, and we're your first. Don't you want to make a good first impression?"

Petey looked mortified, and for the briefest of moments, Raven almost felt bad for the guy; but not that bad. Their lives were in this idiot's hands, and he was not going to fuck around with them.

"That's enough," came a gentle voice from behind them. Summer winced.

_Oh, here we fucking go..._

The Headmaster always enjoyed making the rounds through the different classes, appearing from nowhere to keep an eye on things. Raven did not give the man the satisfaction of turning to look at him; she continued to stare at her so called instructor, who looked like a walrus having trouble with breathing.

"Class is dismissed. STRQ, BBLK, please stay behind," Ozpin instructed.

The other students quickly set to gathering their things and escaping the room; ARSN sent them apologetic looks as they trailed out, Sigyn sticking her tongue out at Port before Natalia dragged her away. Qrow elbowed Taiyang awake with a grimace.

"Huh?! What -"

"Wake up. We prolly got detention," Qrow drawled.

"...Aww man," Tai grumbled. He did not sound surprised, and Raven felt another twinge of guilt.

_Sorry, guys..._

Summer stood up calmly, shooting Raven a final look before meeting the Professor's eyes. BBLK was making various faces, Barty appearing largely nervous, Becca looking done with everyone's shit; the fiery brunette sent an angry glare Raven's way. Raven barely gave her the time of day, folding her arms and staring evenly at the Headmaster and Port.

"Now then" Ozpin continued when they were all alone. His voice never changed from its infuriatingly mild tone. "I seemed to have missed most of this conversation, but I would like to give you all the chance to express your concerns. Politely."

Port looked back forth between herself and his boss, his chest three sizes too big.

"Well, it seems that Miss Branwen and Miss Hollis both believe they are too good for this class-"

"Don't put words in her mouth," snipped Becca, turning to Port. Raven was not sure if she meant Liana or herself. "That's not what happened."

Ozpin cleared his throat. Becca glanced away, rubbing her arms. The Jorogumo scars stood out in livid detail.

"Raven," Ozpin met her eyes. "What precisely are your concerns?"

She studied the shrewd man, trying to deduce the proper angle. Memories of their time in the caverns, and the things they experienced, kept floating to the forefront of her mind; it was distracting. She could never tell where she stood with this guy.

"We are here **to learn**," she continued, her voice firm. "And we are all investing a lot of time and resources to do so. Beacon demands the best from its students. It should also demand the best from its instructors; more so, in fact. He isn't entitled to _our_ respect, if he isn't going to respect us and waste our time with personal drivel."

Ozpin's pale eyebrows raised a fraction.

"I see. And Miss Hollis?"

Liana sighed, adjusting her glasses as they slid down her nose. Barty was practically vibrating at her shoulder.

"I mean, she's right. Respectfully, sir," Hollis continued. "Perhaps Professor Port means well, but it is pretty unfair. We aren't trying to cause trouble, but I think we do deserve a proper education."

"Hmm. And Peter?" Ozpin addressed the young instructor. Port's mustache twitched back forth as he tried to locate his two braincells.

"Sir, I was simply following the curriculum!" he protested. "The first day is supposed to go over previous lessons learned, and I felt it was a good opportunity to get to know the class and go over common ground!"

Raven raised an eyebrow imperiously, her classmates looking equally skeptical. Ozpin's face didn't change, but his eyes did seem to twinkle.

"And exchange war stories, hm?"

"Yes!" Peter nodded sincerely. He did not seem to realize he was off the mark.

"Well, this seems to be a matter of mismatched expectations, then," Ozpin smiled, folding his hand behind his back.

_Mismatched expectations my left ass cheek._

"However valid your concerns are, there are ways to address them that don't involve insulting your instructors before the classroom," Ozpin continued, shooting her a bemused glance. Raven did not even try to look apologetic.

_Come on then, get it over with. Take his side. _

"So, since it is the first day, and everyone is still likely adjusting to recent events," Oz said after a heavy pause. "Instead of handing out detentions, or other demerits, I would like each of you to write an essay detailing your expectations."

Summer's ears flicked, as Qrow sighed quietly; he hated essays. Petey nodded slowly, pulling his mustache.

"Including you, Peter," Ozpin said, his eyes still impish.

Port froze, his fingers still tugging the ends of his 'stache.

"Uh -of course! Absolutely!"

Becca sniffed in contempt; Ozpin duly ignored her.

"Tomorrow, after this class, you will read them to each other. I don't want you to censor yourselves, but please try to be respectful."

Raven managed to hide her surprise, as the rest of her classmates acquiesced solemnly. Ozpin smiled at them all, meeting her eyes briefly, before dismissing them. Raven held her tongue, following Summer and the others from the classroom.

"Well, that could have gone worse," Tai proclaimed cheerfully.

"Speak for yourself. I don't wanna write a feelings essay," Qrow grumbled, glancing at her.

Raven stared at him pointedly.

"Look, I know, but he needs to be held accountable-"

Summer turned to her, and Raven fell silent. Her girlfriend didn't look irritated, so much, but Raven could feel the frustration coming off of her through their bond.

"I know you were just trying to do the right thing," Summer said. "But sweetie, couldn't you have just talked to him after the lecture?"

Raven paused, feeling a little hurt.

"...Would you have preferred I do nothing?" she asked. Her tone couldn't really hide her feelings. Summer's eyes widened.

"Of course not," Summer touched her arm, eyes round. "Hey? Of course not. He needed to be called out. But sometimes, Raven, you kind of zero in on the moment and say 'damn the consequences!'. And I love that about you. I love how passionate you get, it's one of my favorite things. But I also worry that in the wrong context, it can have serious consequences for you personally; and I worry that you don't take that into consideration before you jump in guns blazing. I don't want people in authority to use that as an excuse to punish you, or manipulate you."

"Hashtag Raider Life," Qrow chuckled nearby, earning a blase look from Summer.

Raven hesitated, still feeling insecure. Summer had a point, she knew that logically. She knew she shouldn't give Ozpin more ammunition against her, or against all of them. She knew she could get tunnel vision when it came to being 'right', or doing the right thing.

She just wanted to do the right thing. So. So badly.

Raven shuffled a bit, trying to close herself off. She nodded, falling silent. Tai kept sending her empathetic looks as they navigated the halls; she didn't know whether she should be irritated by that or not.

The rest of their first day passed without further incident. Professor Arc, at least, was on point; not that Raven had expected less. Her Tournament Dueling class was comprised of half of the sophomores and half of the freshmen, much to their surprise.

It seemed that Arc had taken the fall so personally, that she was determined to raise her standards even higher, demanding that the hapless freshmen catch up with their seniors in terms of skill. She claimed it was the impending Vytal Festival that inspired such, but anyone that knew the woman could tell better. The fact that she was taking their education and welfare so seriously helped Raven to relax, and put aside the events from that morning.

As their first day came to a close, STRQ trudged back to their dorm room, in considerably better spirits having been able to work off their frustrations. Summer had brightened, and kept trying to get herself and Qrow laugh with her antics. It worked for the most part, but Qrow was still off, a variety of emotions rolling across their bond, betraying his distress. Instead of getting right to doing homework, he settled into the kitchen and started drinking and playing games on his scroll.

Raven dutifully began to crank out her essay, detailing her expectations of herself and her instructors in brisk language; Taiyang even helped her, gently pointing out that calling Port a dunderhead or buffoon was not likely to be considered constructive. With some bemusement, she edited herself.

Summer got kidnapped by Sigyn after about an hour in, the pink lunatic all but carrying her sister out the door and down the hall. Raven and Taiyang finished their respective essays together, before brushing up on their Weapons Mechanics curriculum; Qrow had started his own homework after they nagged him into it.

It was pretty late when there was a knock on their door. Raven glanced up, a frown settling on her face, as Taiyang looked over from his bed. Qrow was passed out in his hammock, having blazed through his homework and continued drinking.

She stalked to the door, opening it carefully. James Ironwood was standing a few steps away, his face as serious as ever. Raven's eyes narrowed immediately.

"Raven," he nodded.

She folded her arms, and leaned against the door frame.

"Is Qrow here?" he asked after an awkward pause.

"Why do you care?" she droned.

He didn't wince with his face; but his stance changed, leaning more on one leg.

"Look. I just wanted to apologize," he raised his palms, placating.

"Because you're sorry for being an ass? Or because now there aren't any witnesses?" she asked. She could hear Taiyang moving behind her, curious. A flicker of anger crossed over his bond when he realized who she was talking to.

James frowned slightly.

"I recognize your concern," he carried on. "But this really is a conversation I need to have with him. If he isn't here now, I can come back."

Raven studied the boy across from her, carving past his armor, trying to pull his motivations to the surface.

"He is. He's a little preoccupied at the moment," she said calmly. "If you'd like to talk to him in the morning, you always know where to find him."

James's eyes flickered in doubt.

_Ah yes. That's what I thought_.

"But you don't want your new little teammate to make any...unseemly deductions, now, do you?" she drew out scornfully. "Let me guess. She's from Atlas? That's funny, I know Artemis is, too. I wonder why that bothers you so much?"

"You're clearly making a lot of assumptions here," he declared, shaking his head.

"Oh? Is it an assumption that you don't want this new mystery girl knowing you like cock?" she asked innocently. Behind her she heard Taiyang cough in surprise.

James's face told her everything she needed to know, and the confirmation stoked a fury in the pit of her stomach.

"Gee. I wonder why that would be such a big deal?" she tapped her chin.

James glared at her openly, clearly considering walking away. He took a deep breath.

"Her family has close ties to my own," he said coldly. "I've known Glynda my whole life. She has a different idea of who I am as a person there, versus who I am here; and I need to be careful in broaching the subject with her. She is a good person. But I need to take things slowly to ensure she understands certain matters."

Raven felt a smile spread across her face. It was a Branwen smile, something she reserved only for the worst people; for people she wanted to hurt.

"...Deidrick deserves so much better than you as a partner. It really isn't fair."

James face slipped in open shock, and Raven plunged the knife right through the gap in his armor.

"Big Jimmy, so concerned with acting honorably, with duty, with legacy; so righteous, and concerned with rules. So long as it benefits you, at least," she said venomously. "I wonder why you were so eager to be my brother's mentor? Did you see an opportunity for yourself, Jimmy? The chance to live out a little fantasy while you're away from mommy and daddy? Having power over someone so rebellious, my, it must of been too seductive for a good, upstanding boy like you to say no to. A chance for you to have your cake and eat it, too?"

James's entire frame was rigid, the scowl on his face building in cold fury. Raven didn't even bat an eye.

"Is that how they do it back home, in the rank and file? Do the seniors like to 'take an interest' in their subordinates? Teach them how 'things are done round here'?" she drawled, the anger in her stomach coiled like viper. "Only to throw them under the bus when they get caught sticking their fingers where they aren't supposed to? How very...noble. And I bet you don't even think it's your fault; I bet you tell yourself he flirted with you, he wanted you, and you were just a good 'senpai', giving him what he wanted. Not your fault at all. Who cares about his feelings anyways, right?"

James nearly looked on the edge of violence, and Raven prayed that he would. She wanted this hypocritical piece of shit to lose control, to prove her point. She kept smiling at him.

"Let's not kid ourselves, here, Jimmy," she said softly. Dangerous. "We both know the only thing people like you care about is power over others. And you will do anything, everything, you can to preserve that; no matter who it hurts. Your precious honor is a fucking farce; and your sense of 'duty', is only to yourself."

"That, none of that, is true," he gritted. His fists were shaking. It was the most upset she had seen him, besides Mountain Glenn.

"Oh? Not even a little true?" Raven hummed, watching his reaction. He shuffled. "I think it's at least part of the truth. The ugly part, the part you like to cover up in armor and a false image of perfection. But that ugly, nasty part of you is still there. And before you come here, thinking you can toy with my little brother, you need to do some...serious reevaluation of what kind of a fucking person you are and want to be."

James continued to stare at her, his entire body radiating glacial anger.

"Qrow's a good person. He deserves a good mentor," she hissed. "And if you want the privilege of that, because _it is _a Dust damn privilege to be his mentor, then you need to get your shit together and act like you deserve it. And anything else? You need to be even better. Because if you hurt him again, because you're scared of your pathetic fucking reputation, then it isn't little Glynda you need to be concerned about. It's me. Do you understand, tin man?"

A flash anxiety as Raven's words hit home crossed his face; she smirked.

"Yes?"

"...I do," he grimaced, lowering his hands like an automaton.

"Good. Now until then, get the fuck off our lawn," she sneered, and shut the door in his face.

She glared at the handle for a heartbeat, before turning to meet Taiyang's stare. He had come closer, a variety of emotions crossing his face.

"Yea, I know, I should have been nicer-"

He pulled her into a firm hug, surprising her. Her hands rested hesitantly on his hips; he smelled like pine, leather and fresh grass.

"You're good person," he insisted gently, rubbing circles on her back. Her neck heated immediately. "You don't need to justify yourself. Ok?"

"No?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. She liked the feeling of his stubble brushing her cheek.

"No."

Her mouth parted slightly before she shut, gingerly resting her chin on his shoulder.

"...Thanks."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes: And now it's time for fluff.

Eclipse

Chapter 10

Feathers

Their first week back went by relatively swiftly. After the drama of the first day, things seemed to cool off, at least in terms of the teams personal conflicts with other people. Reading their essays was the most uncomfortable part of the week, no small part of that being that it was overseen by Ozpin.

However, Raven had to admit, it at least seemed to solve the problem of Professor Port. While he was still far too long-winded, and enjoyed recounting too many of his own stories of conquest, the man seemed to take the message to heart. There wasn't another day that week where they didn't do something actually related to improving their skills and understanding of Combat essentials; and she had to admit, Petey seemed fairly capable when he wasn't busy trying to impress them all.

Summer had another talk with her later, where she tried to convey that she never wanted Raven to feel like she needed to censor herself to make her or anyone else comfortable; Raven had admitted that she had felt that way, even thought she understood the point Summer was trying to make. People so often wanted to her to change, after all; to make herself palatable, nicer, more polite. Summer insisted she was perfectly palatable the way she was, and that it was other people that were the problem. Despite wanting to agree with her, though, Raven wasn't entirely too sure that was the case.

The weekend arrived, greeted by all with much enthusiasm. Even with a higher work load this year, they seemed to managing their time better, and would actually be able to have fun on their days off. It probably helped that they didn't have to worry about detention or trust building exercises. They would even be able sleep in.

So she was very, very perturbed when her brother woke her early Saturday morning to drag her out of the dorm. Qrow was startlingly awake as he hushed her, pulling her by the hand down the hall and to the staircase that led out of the dorm. Raven cursed blindly, stumbling after him, still half asleep. Both Tai and Summer were still sleeping in their beds.

"Qrow, this better be good," she grumbled, letting him tug her down the last set of stairs and through one of the side doors onto the lawn.

The sun had barely risen, and the campus was a shadowscape of spires and monoliths. The moon was setting behind the distant library. No one else was likely awake, and the grounds were abandoned

"Come here," he insisted urgently, pulling her over to a lone pine tree. He pointed at a low nook in the tree. "Look. Real quiet like."

She blinked, sticking her head closer. Cradled in the elbow of the branch and trunk, she spied a large mess of twigs and other organized debris. Several sleepy faces peeked back up at her silently, blinking in concert.

"...you drug me up here to look at birds?" she groused. "Really? Couldn't you just look in a mirror?"

Suddenly, sharp little beaks opened and started squeaking and crying in unison. The noise hit her like a punch to gut and she started, stiffening immediately. Her brother watched her knowingly. They didn't sound like baby birds to her. They sounded like frightened, squalling children.

"What...What the fuck?" she whispered, unsettled. They were still crying, and the hairs on her neck were raising in instinctual distress. She nearly shifted into her second skin right there and then.

He nodded vigorously, pointing into the nest.

"They've been like this for like a day or two. I dunno where the parents are? But my guess is something bad happened, like a cat or something."

She remembered the cat from the other day, and frowned immediately. If little fluffy had eaten their parents...

"Well," she glanced down at the crying bird babies. "What should we do, Qrow? We can't just steal them or something, what if the parents come back?"

He looked at the babies remorsefully, shaking his head.

"I don't think they're comin back, Rae," he said, crouching to look at them. He sounded so sad.

"Ok. So, we can try to take them to a shelter or something," she muttered. "Kingdoms have those, right?"

"There's one in east Vale," he nodded. "I looked it up. But they're only open during the week, and we'd have to miss class to take them before they closed."

He looked at the babies and made a comforting sound, several gentle croaks. The little beaks shut promptly, their heads tilting in unison as they looked up at him. She realized that, to an outsider, this would be a truly bizarre thing to witness; two young people speaking bird to a to a group of nestlings.

Raven sighed, rubbing her face. Occasionally, one of the babies would peep, and it made her think of a child sniffling.

Cici never mentioned **this** as a side effect of being a skin changer.

"Alright, well. Let's get a shoe box or something," she droned. "We can take them to the shelter on Monday."

His face lit up, looking briefly so much younger, and it reminded her of when they were children; how he would find a hurt baby animal of some sort and always try to help it. He would always hold whatever little creature it was so gently, so carefully, trying to shelter it from his Semblance but also wanting so desperately to be close to it. It was hard, trying to nurture small wild things; it made her wonder how their parents had ever managed it with them.

"Can you stay with them?" he asked, eyes bright with hope. "I'll be right back."

"Ok, ok," she sighed, settling on the rooftop. "Don't be too long."

"I'm not," he scurried away for the dorm.

Then Raven was alone with a posse of small birds. They started crying almost immediately, and she grimaced in pain. She was not great with children, human or bird; however, the noises they were making were extremely upsetting. She stared at them, completely out of her depth. With a final groan, she changed skins, flew up into the branches and hopped down into the nest.

They stopped crying immediately, more from shock than anything. There were four of them, all poofy with downy and half formed feathers, with too big eyes and beaks on ridiculous little bobble heads. They peeped.

All but rolling her eyes, Raven fluffed herself, laying down to try to help them settle. After a few moments, they shuffled closer, getting under her wings and trying to cuddle for warmth. She muttered, unable to be irritated with them. Despite the fact that she was literally a fucking bird, in a nest, surrounded by previously crying babies, she started to drift off to sleep again.

A cough roused her, and her head shot up. Her brother had made good on his promise to not take too long, and was grinning down at her. She glared at him.

"_Not a fucking word_," she croaked at him in corvid.

"_Oh I would never_," he replied, still smirking.

He had gotten gloves somewhere and managed to scoop up each one, nestling them into a box lined with a towel. He gave her a mischievous look.

"_Do you wanna ride with them_?" he asked.

"_They're fine, I'll walk_," she scoffed. No sooner had she declared such that they started crying again.

He stared at her. She stared back, stubbornly. He held out the box, mouth pursing to keep from laughing. She nipped at his fingers in reproach, but still hopped into the box with them. They immediately swarmed her, peeping fearfully. She made obligatory hushing noises, letting them hide under wings. Being held by a human scared them. She couldn't say she blamed them.

"_Yo, Tai and Summer are going to have a fucking melt down_," he chuckled, cradling the box carefully as he walked.

"_You aren't going to say a damn thing to them about this_," she whispered menacingly. It was hard to appear intimidating when you were a bird in a box.

"_Whaaaat? It's cute. You're being mommy_-"

"_They wouldn't stop crying, I did what I needed to do. And this is a favor to you, knuckle munch_," she huffed.

"_Uh huh, you're right. For sure_," he nodded.

She kept shooting him salty glares as they navigated the stairs and hallway; no one else was awake, otherwise it might have caused a mild commotion among their classmates. When they reached the room, Qrow carefully opened the door and stuck his head in, before slipping inside with them. The babies were all very quiet at this point.

"Qrow?"

Raven winced. Summer was awake now, because of course she was. It was hard to sneak around when your partner had wolf senses.

Qrow raised a finger to his mouth and drew out a comical shush. Raven, mortified, did not dare to stick her head out of the box. Shuffling ensued. She glanced up.

Summer was now curiously nosing past Qrow's shoulder. They made eye contact. Summer's face lit up as she clapped a hand to her mouth, trying to hold back a noise that was barely faunus or human in origin.

"OhmyfrigginDuuuuuuuuust," Summer squealed. "Oh my Dust, look at this! This is adorable- Tai! Taiyang, wake up!"

Raven croaked balefully as Qrow chuckled softly. The babies cheeped at the shaking of the box, cuddling closer to her. Summer proceeded to have a literal aneurysm.

"EEeeee, oh gods, this is toooo cute - Tai! TAaaaaai!"

If Raven wasn't covered in baby birds she would have flown out of the box promptly. A blonde, sleepy face poked over the side. He looked at her, blinking in half sober confusion, before freezing; a ridiculous smile spread over his face.

"Duuude."

"I knooooow, isn't this just like the cutest friggin thing!?"

"Dude. Raven? Have you adopted baby birds?"

_"No," _she growled. He of course, did not understand what she said.

"Dude, where is my scroll-"

_"Don't you fuckin dare, Taiyang Xiao Long_," she puffed up.

The babies began to cheep in upset, more in response to her reaction than anything; she realized with increasing dread she was trapped.

"Haha, oh my gods, I love this so much," the blonde beamed. He took a picture. Raven glared daggers at him. "I'm going to frame this."

"Wheredidyoufindtheeeeem?" Summer babbled, dancing on her toes.

"In a tree by the dorm. They've been there alone for a few days, and their parents are missing," Qrow replied, scratching the back of his head self consciously.

"Awww, poor lil things," Summer crooned, looking into the box. "Oooh! Let's feed them!"

"They're probably too young for like, completely solid food," Tai scratched his chin. "I have eye droppers in the fanny pack though, if we need them. We can make something they can eat - oh, do you know what type of bird they are?"

"They're crows," her twin muttered. He looked rather bashful. "It's why, ah, I knew something bad had happened. They were crying for their parents."

Tai and Summer stared at him, their expressions growing promptly mushy.

"Aw. Qrow?"

"What?" he grumbled, folding his arms. "Stop making fun of me."

"_And I'm what? Fair game, then_?" Raven asked. He stuck his tongue out at her.

"We aren't, it's sweet! Ok, well, what can we feed them?" Summer wondered, pulling up her scroll. She and Taiyang started looking up the facts while her brother set the box gently on the desk. Raven hopped out of the box, prompting a renewed round of crying; little faces poked over the side, trying to follow her. Qrow snickered at her.

"_Your turn_," she declared. "_You play mom_."

"_Ah, but you're doin such a good job,"_ he laughed.

She hopped onto the floor, shifting back. After a pause, Qrow chuckled, changing skins and hopping up onto the desk. He started talking to them immediately.

_"Hey little guys - it's ok. You're gonna be ok."_

Raven ignored the twinge in her chest, glancing uncertainly at her teammates. Tai had looked up from their research, and was smiling genuinely at her. Her ears reddened.

"Ok, well it's a good thing you two are birbs too, because socialization is like, imperative for crow survival," Summer said, still reading. "A lot of time people try to raise and then release corvids and then they have a really hard time making it, because they don't know how to socialize with their own species. But that place in Vale has an excellent program, apparently, so it's our best bet. Oh, and lucky us, they can eat puppy food!"

Tai beamed, opening the pack. Yin was on the bed watching all of this unfold, her ears upright as she watched Qrow and the babies. However, she did not bark or try to bother them, because Yin-yin was a good girl.

Tai pulled out a bag of kibble, reading the instructions, and proceeded to soak the kibble in warm water. Summer called up the wildlife rescue, leaving a message, before scooting over next to her to watch Qrow and the babies. Summer poked her cheek, her tongue poking out of the side of her mouth.

"What?" Raven grumbled, her ears still red.

"Nothing! You're just a cutie!" Summer declared.

Raven rolled her eyes, her lips twitching. Taiyang brought the puppy food over, studying the the begging mouths.

"Soooo. Who's feeding them?" he asked.

"Well, where are the droppers?" Raven asked, looking at his hands.

"This stuff might be too thick for droppers. You guys should just, ya know," he gestured, looking impish.

Raven raised an eyebrow.

"Should just...what, Taiyang?"

"Ya know! Just feed them! You're birds, it's natural!"

The look on her face could have frozen a Goliath.

"With our fucking mouths?" she drawled. "Is that what you are suggesting to me right now?"

"No," he shook his head. "With your beaks. Duh."

Raven glared at the blonde.

"You're a dick."

"How am I being a dick? Look, it's not a big deal," he laughed warmly. "It's totally normal! And we don't want them to imprint on people, you know?"

Summer giggled, shaking her head at them.

"We can cut the droppers so they have a wider mouth," Summer said. "Here, let me see."

She fished the droppers out of the fanny pack; luckily, they were plastic and pretty wide to begin with. She took scissors and cut, before drawing up some of the mash into the dropper and handing it to Qrow. Qrow angled the dropper in his beak carefully, offering the end to the first squeaky mouth that appeared. After some experimentation, he managed to feed the starving nestling the whole thing.

Thus it was that team STRQ spent the rest of their weekend babysitting orphaned birds.

...

More Notes: So hey again. In the event you do ever find orphaned wild things, remember to always try to take them to reserve or appropriate shelter. Most people mean well, but wild animal babies have needs that most of us can't provide; especially animals that are highly intelligent and social. If you ever find a fledgling on the ground, make sure it really needs your help before interfering. Baby birds don't stay in their nests that long, and corvids stay with their parents for up to two years. The parents like to spread their young out as soon as they can, because nests are actually really dangerous and attract predators. Just because you don't see the parents doesn't mean they aren't there looking out for their kid. Anyways, thanks for reading. Ya'll have a good weekend.


	11. Chapter 11

Music Choices: Shadow Kids by Ivory Hours

Eclipse

Chapter 11

Feathers Part II

Raven waited outside of the nurses station, accompanied by Taiyang. It had been decided over the course of their weekend that not all of them should play hooky to deliver the baby crows to the sanctuary in Vale; it would be too suspicious if a whole team fell sick at once on the second Monday back.

Qrow had opted out of going in person, likely believing he would cry; not that this was ever, ever actually said aloud. Her twin had spent most of his Sunday reading and hovering over the nestlings; he even read to them when he thought no one was paying attention. Raven didn't doubt for a second that he would have tried to keep all of them if they actually had the means to care for them. However, with their schedules, and the fact that they would be spending weeks at a time away in the field, it would have been impossible.

Since she was ahead in her homework, and doubted missing a few classes would hurt, Raven offered to take them. Taiyang promptly volunteered to go with her, while Summer kept hiding knowing smiles as he listed things they could do while in Vale. Summer sagely declared that she would stay with Qrow for emotional support, when he wasn't within earshot of course.

After several more minutes, where Raven was beginning to grow impatient, Amosa finally opened his door and summoned the two of them inside. The nurse had apparently spent his vacation well, as he had several new photos of himself and family up on the walls of his office, one where he was holding up an immense fish as long as he was tall. Another photo was of him and what was possibly his brother, hanging from a cliff side as they free-climbed.

"What's up, troublemaker?" he boomed, his voice friendly. "How was vacation?"

Raven smirked, folding her arms. Amosa and herself had come to an understanding last year, where she bribed him frequently for sick chits to get out of class or to use in an emergency.

"It was pretty relaxing. We just visited family."

Tai sent her a humorous look, before looking at Amosa's pictures further.

"Ooh, that's a nice board, sir," Tai observed, tapping the photo closest to him. In it, Amosa was doing a trick jump on a long-board over an obstacle course designed for crazy people.

"None of that sir, crap, kid," Amosa waved, grinning. "Makes me feel old. But you ride?"

Tai returned the smile, looking a bit cocky.

"Yea, you could say I dabble."

"Oh? Maybe we could go to the park sometime; I hear you can do some pretty cool things with portals," Amosa chuckled.

Tai lit up at the idea, before a brief flash of hesitance crossed his face. Raven watched him carefully, remembering that was how he and Evan spent most of the 'mentoring' hours. Taiyang rallied quickly, however.

"Yea, that'd be pretty cool," Tai smiled sincerely.

Raven glanced away before changing the subject.

"So, we were going into Vale today," she started, meeting Amosa's eyes slyly. "And were wondering if you'd like some to-go from that place you love so much."

Amosa nodded seriously, his eyes glinting.

"I see. And I take it this trip is during school hours?"

"Technically," Raven hummed.

"Uh huh. You two goin on hot a date, eh?" Amosa chuckled, causing Taiyang to sputter nervously. Raven raised her eyebrow in defiance; but look on Tai's face was too good to pass up, so she didn't bother to correct him.

"If taking birds to a sanctuary is a hot date, then I suppose."

Taiyang continued to die. Amosa laughed, shaking his head.

"The fewer details I know, the better," he declared, pulling up his pad of scrips. "But you know the routine. If you get caught-"

"Then you had no knowledge of our reckless deviance whatsoever," Raven smirked.

"Exactly. Getting interrogated by Joan is no walk in the park, you dig?" he finished the sick chits with a flourish. "That woman could put the fear of the gods in a Jotun. I'm putting myself out there with this, got it?"

"And as always, I appreciate it," Raven smiled mischievously. "It's a pleasure doing business with you."

"Uuuuh huh. You kids stay out of trouble, if you can," the nurse declared humorously. "And if you can't, remember, we have a basket in the hall with free condoms-"

"Annnd thanks Amosa! I'll take you up on that boarding idea soon, ok!?" laughed Tai, on the verge of near hysteria.

Raven snorted, striding out into the hall; there really was a basket full of colorful personal protection, and a very devious part of her wondered what Taiyang would do if she took a handful. His neck was bright red at this point, and he kept talking as they walked.

"Gee, funny guy, huh?!" Tai babbled, staring straight ahead. "What a kidder!"

"You ok there, grandpa?" she drawled. "You're looking a little flushed."

"Oh I'm good! I'm great," Tai carried on. "Let's turn these in and pick up the kids-"

"Sure you don't want me to grab a couple of those?" she asked, jerking a thumb at the basket.

The look on his face was, absolutely, priceless. He stared at her like a deer in headlights, mouth parting slightly as his brain desperately tried to catch up to the predicament he had found himself in. She dedicated the image to memory before she smirked.

"Ya know? For you and Summer? I'm betting she would really like the colors."

Tai let out a breath like a balloon in dire distress.

_This is fun. No wonder Summer teases us as much as she does._

"Um...We aren't - I can, wait a sec. Wait, ah-"

_Vanilla exe as stopped functioning. Please send help._

"What?" she asked, grinning. "It's not a big deal."

"I um, you don't need to do that," he flushed like a tomato. "I can handle that, when um. Yea."

"Ok," she shrugged, walking ahead of him nonchalantly. "You coming or what?"

_Heh. I have jokes, too. _

He staggered after her, still looking thoroughly embarrassed. She wondered briefly if the idea of them together was that distressing to him, and decided to not go down that road. Taking mercy, she let him change the subject.

...

The babies were sleeping, still full from their feeding that morning. Summer and Qrow had gone ahead to class, taking their chits to Professor Port for them. Qrow had said his goodbyes before shuffling out the door, his shoulders stiff; Summer had scooted after him, waving at the pair of them with a impish look in her eyes before disappearing down the hall.

Raven waited a few moments before glancing at Taiyang, who had managed to somewhat recover from his fit; he was still having trouble looking directly at her, though. Sighing, Raven brushed her hair over her shoulder and picked up the box, before heading for the door.

"I'll go to the airfield and open a portal for you. It'll be less conspicuous than both of us walking off together," she drawled. He looked up at her sheepishly, before smiling.

"Sure! I'll um, wait here I guess."

She fought the urge to roll her eyes and strode out into the hallway. She briefly considered opening the app on her scroll that let her communicate with Reinhardt and take over the school's drones; she didn't want to be spotted and interrogated by someone, but she wasn't overly concerned. If worse came to worse, she'd just tell the truth, and leave Tai out of it.

Fortunately, most of the drones seemed concentrated on the classrooms and gyms at the moment. She made it out of the dorms, across the lawn, past the outlying buildings, and to the lot that led to the ferry terminal without incident.

The babies woke up with the movement and started peeping nervously. Raven hummed to them, occasionally talking to them to help them stay calm. They had gotten used to the fact that she and Qrow were bird people over the weekend, and were put at ease at the sound of her voice. She considered the fact that she was taking them to someone who wouldn't know their language, or be able to identify them separately, or know their actual names; it admittedly bothered her more than she'd like. However, she also knew the sanctuary had birds that could care for them, and hoped that would be enough.

She bought two round tickets to Vale, ignoring the odd looks the woman at the stand gave her and her cheeping shoe-box, before slicing a hole in space-time. The vortex sprang to life, and a few moments later, Taiyang hopped out. She noted that he had his skateboard under his arm, and he grinned at her.

"I figured since we were playing hooky anyways, we could stop at the park after?" he suggested.

"Sure," she shrugged. The shoe-box peeped in protest at the movement and she hushed them thoughtlessly. Taiyang smiled, sticking his head close to box.

"They ok?" he asked, looking inside.

Raven nodded. They fell into silence, before being allowed to board the ferry to Vale, finding seats with a window. The ferry was hardly crowded, though several civilians had taken up nearby. Apparently, people who lived in the outskirts of the Kingdom often took the Beacon ferry.

The airship took off with a gentle shudder, and soon they had climbed up near the clouds. Raven stared out the window, lost in thought as Tai played a few games on his scroll, shooting her furtive looks when he thought she didn't notice.

"Soo," he started after a long mutual silence. "What's it like?"

"Hm?" she turned away from the window.

"Being able to turn into a bird and use magic?" he asked quietly, leaning on his forearms. "Do you use your aura? Or is it something else?"

She considered the question, tilting her head.

"Well. The ability isn't aura activated," she admitted, trying to pick the right words to explain it. "But you know how you reach for your aura when you need to activate your Semblance?"

"Yep," he bobbed.

"Well with this, you reach for something else. You can feel it when you meditate, sometimes, if you're really into it. That current that runs up your spine and down into the world, connecting you to everything," she drew out, feeling self conscious. "Do you know what I mean?"

"Oh yea," he smiled. "Or when you perform katas or martial movements. I thought that was aura, though? That's how I activated mine, actually, during one of my routines."

Raven picked at the table, her brow furrowing in thought.

"It's connected to aura, I think. Because it's connected to everything. But it isn't aura in itself," she continued. "Magic, or whatever one calls it, is the font that I believe all things ultimately draw from. Consciousness, life, spirits, even Semblances. Like a million rivers and streams that all lead back to one immense lake or ocean; and this ability just follows a different riverbed than a Semblance or aura does. I think that relates to how magic workers and other things can gain power that isn't related to acknowledged abilities; and I think in part that's why Ozpin and people like him want to keep magic a secret."

Taiyang gave her an impressed stare and she flushed slightly.

"You think he doesn't want lots of other people making their own riverbeds to the source? Because it's a finite resource?"

She considered his question, impressed herself at his deduction.

_He really is smarter than he gives himself credit for..._

"Maybe. I'm sure that it really isn't a finite resource, though," she said, playing with feathers on her belt. "It isn't like Dust. I think that maybe he's just scared of people taking power for themselves consciously. Because then you aren't limited by an ability that just happens to you, you are actively striving to understand the universe on a more intimate level, and becoming more for doing so."

_And also becoming people who can challenge him. If Ozpin really is the warlock, he likely doesn't appreciate the idea of sharing power with others._

Taiyang scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"So by that argument, anyone could technically learn to use magic. Even just your average joe down at the coffee shop."

She smirked at the idea, finding it appealing.

"I guess so. I'm not entirely sure how it works. I'd have to get Ciara or Nwyfre to actually explain more, and I'm sure there are limitations."

"Sure. But you'd think it could make the world a safer place, yea?" he said, frowning slightly. "If civilians had the means to protect themselves against Grimm, even without aura or a Semblance, then the world would be safer for them wouldn't it?"

She smirked.

"Not necessarily. Magic isn't always safe. But that's my point exactly. If you're invested in controlling a population...then do you really want it full of empowered people?"

"Man, probably not," he grimaced, shaking his head. "You really think that that's his angle?"

_Oh absolutely. _

"I'm sure he doesn't see it that way," she muttered. "But it is pretty suspicious, even if you aren't a complete paranoid."

He chuckled at her description.

"You aren't a complete paranoid, just like, ninety percent."

"Oh that's nice, what makes you think I was referring to myself?" she asked, hiding her smirk.

"Considering our options, I made an educated guess," he laughed."I bet you even hacked the school drones so we could skate off."

She gave him a salty glance.

"I did not."

"Oh, but you thought about it. Didn't you?" he teased leaning closer.

She paused.

"Nope."

"Ya huh."

"No, I didn't."

He smiled knowingly, and she huffed, inciting another round of chuckles. She rolled her eyes, before they were interrupted by the overhead announcing their arrival to Vale. They continued to play fight as they followed the other passengers down the aisle and towards the fluorescent lights of the ferry terminal.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Notes**: Sup kiddos, just a heads up. My life is going to be pretty complicated for the next few months, since I'm getting ready to get out of the military and move on with my life. So updates will likely be sporadic, but hey, what else is new? Lol. Also, I know the last few weekends have been pretty dang rough for a lot of countries and places; not that they aren't always, but still. I just wanted to say that even though I've never talked to most of you and will likely never meet anyone who reads these stories, I do appreciate you and care that you guys are around. Stay safe out there, and don't let the bullshit keep you down.

Eclipse

Chapter 12

Feathers Part III

Emerald Kingdom Bird Sanctuary was on the border of downtown and eastern suburbia, inside one of the nature preserves that dotted the interior. Vale took its parks and animal sanctuaries quite seriously, because for many people, these were the only places where they could see wildlife or places of natural beauty.

The average, aura-less citizen might remain behind a Kingdom's walls their entire life, in fact, if they never moved to a Settlement or another Kingdom; or took a job that enabled the luxury of leaving their cage behind.

Raven cradled the box of infant crows, habitually looking up into the branches of the park's trees; the immense sequoias had been preserved during the raising of the civilization around them, as had the river that fed the waterfall and lake in the heart of the park. Walking paths wove through the moss, boulders and blackberry bushes, placards dotting the landscape to describe the flora or fauna.

A bridge crossed the river, made of felled logs. It really was quite bizarre. If not for the occasional person, strolling with their pets or family, Raven would have thought they were outside the walls.

There was no grooming to the undergrowth, save around the paths; no sense of falsehood in portraying the forests of Saunus as they really were, no plastic rocks or hidden speakers under mounds of moss. It kept confusing her, because she was instinctively on the lookout for Grimm or other enemies.

"It's beautiful, huh?" Taiyang glanced at her.

"It's…disconcerting," she admitted, her lip pulling.

Tai snorted, shaking his mop of hair; he needed a haircut, not that she could really judge.

"How is this disconcerting?" he gestured around them. "This is gorgeous!"

"Things can be disconcerting and gorgeous at the same time," Raven replied drolly. "It's called complexity."

"Oh, well excuse me," he laughed, eyes bright as he glanced her way. "Fine, how is it both? For lo, I am but a simple man and struggle with loftier goals such as abstract thought."

Raven deeply resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead looking up into the branches once again.

"Because, I associate the deep forest as belonging to the Grimm. It almost feels fake without the possibility of them, you see?"

Taiyang paused, looking up into the branches with her for a moment. The trail was curving towards several low buildings with immense mesh nets and aviaries behind them.

"Huh. I guess? What you never went to a forest that had few or no Grimm in it?"

Raven raised her eyebrows.

"Did you?"

"Yea! On Patch! Occasionally a Beowolf or Ursa will pop up on the island, but for the most part," Tai expanded his hands. "No Grimm. The island's like a big bowl! They can't swim out to us and climb up easily. And the ocean is shallow enough surrounding it that we don't have to worry about leviathans or the like. The town's anti-air weaponry keeps the stray Nevermore or fliers away. We just don't draw a lot of attention out there, either; most of the Grimm in the area swarm towards the Kingdom."

Raven listened to the hush of the waterfall and wind in the branches overhead.

"Interesting," she hummed, looking ahead towards the sanctuary.

What would that be like? To go deep into the heart of a forest and not feel like the lowest rung on the food chain? The tribe always moved through such places cautiously, aware of mega-types preferences for the deep wilderness or ruins of fallen cities. They clustered in the hearts of the woods, like leviathans swam for the deepest waters; until you brushed against their territory accidentally.

Raven realized that technically, she could visit such places far easier now. Grimm didn't bother with most wildlife. She could fly anywhere on Remnant and not worry about the Grimm harassing her. The thought made her smile.

They finally reached the main building of the aviary, following the signs. The office that handled rescues had opened an hour ago, and they pushed past the glass doors into a small waiting room.

They were the only people there, besides an old faunus man with a falcon. The falcon's tail feathers had been damaged somehow, preventing it from flight. It was surprisingly very calm, though its head spun sharply as they entered the room.

Raven eyed the predator back carefully and took her peeping box of feather children to the other side of the room. Taiyang went to the counter, sticking his head over the side as he looked for someone.

"They'll be back in a minute," smiled the faunus, his dog tail thumping habitually on the seat next to him. His falcon friend continued to watch them from where she was perched on his arm, beak parted slightly; she made a high-pitched noise that made the hairs on Raven's neck stand up. The box in her lap went immediately quiet.

"So whatcha got there?" the he asked, pointing his nose towards the box.

"A couple of baby crows, their nest was abandoned," Taiyang replied, scooting closer to look at the bird. "Hey there, lady. Aren't you pretty?"

The falcon watched Taiyang, hunter yellow eyes focusing on him briefly, before turning to continue staring at Raven and the box. Raven felt something odd brush over her extraneous senses, and the hairs on her neck continued to prickle. Raven glanced out the nearby window, frowning.

"Yea I found her by the side of the road. I think she got in some power lines and fried her tail, poor thing," the old faunus brushed the back of her neck feathers. The falcon closed her eyes in contentment.

"She seems quite familiar with people," Raven observed suspiciously.

"Yea, I honestly think she was somebody's huntin bird that got loose. Lot's of people in South Vale like to keep them for huntin rabbits or the like," the man nodded, his spectacles sliding down his nose. "Cause I didn't have any problem scoopin her up, and she knew to ride on my arm earlier. Hopefully her people are out lookin for her and will check here."

The falcon opened a bright eye to watch her, and Raven stared back cautiously. She brushed her fingers inside the shoebox habitually, and several fuzzy heads pushed against them, seeking reassurance.

"Ok folks! Sorry about that!" a young woman with a cherry red bob for hair pushed around the counter. "One of our volunteers is out sick, and it is a busy day. So! What have we got?"

Raven nodded towards the older gentleman.

"He was here first," she said. Tai gave the falcon a parting wave and came over by her, browsing the pamphlets in the display next to them.

"Alrighty! Hi there, I'm Sabel," the young woman beamed at him.

"Hi Sabel, I'm Harold," he extended a free hand and shook hers. "I found this lady on the roadside."

"Oh dear, yea," Sabel nodded, glancing at the falcon's tail. "You know, she's the third bird someone's brought in with feather damage like that in the last month alone? At first we thought it was powerlines again, because they'll perch and stretch their wings? But honestly, I think someone's been shooting at them with Dust rounds. We had another raptor that came in with a frozen wing, and the poor thing lost the whole limb."

"What?" Tai glanced up. "Why would someone do that?"

Sabel shook her head sadly.

"People can be cruel," Sabel shrugged. "I honestly don't understand it."

"Prolly some damn kids picking on things that can't fight back," Harold grumbled, before glancing at them. "No offense, you two."

"None taken," Raven drawled, her lip twitching.

Sabel led Harold and the injured falcon back, talking the entire time. The falcon continued to stare at her, until they disappeared into the back room. The hairs on the back of her neck were still standing, and she had the chills.

_That bird isn't normal_.

She paused at the thought, wanting to dismiss it as her standard paranoia. It was a predator and she had a box of prey in her lap. However, her skin was breaking out in goose bumps. A sudden nip at her fingers caught her attention, and Raven opened the lid fully to peer inside.

All of the babies were looking at her. They weren't peeping, they weren't hunched in little balls; their faces were alert, terrified, and far too intelligent.

_Something is wrong. _

Raven automatically reached out for her bonds and cursed. All she felt was a muffled sensation, like someone had tossed a blanket over the entire area and her bonds couldn't tell which way was up. She couldn't portal out.

"Tai, we need to go," Raven stood up briskly, closing the lid. The martial artist glanced at her, still holding a pamphlet about Saunus wildlife. He looked confused, obviously; but instead of interrogating her or making a snarky comment, he simply followed her out the door they'd come in.

Raven scanned the area immediately, one hand cradling the box, the other brushing her hilt. Taiyang noted her body language and his own tensed, scanning the trees with her; he paused, and she followed his gaze.

In the trees were two harris hawks, watching them intently. The forest surrounding them was quiet, save for the waterfall in the distance. Raven spoke at a gentle, normal volume without taking her eyes off the birds.

"I can't reach my portals," she said quietly. "Someone's Semblance is blanketing the area."

And she had a good idea who was responsible.

"…Alright, let's be casual," he muttered back. "I'm not seeing anybody except them."

He didn't point at the hawks, for which she was grateful.

"I think they know what I am," she whispered as they walked in the other direction. The trail looped around the lake; and if they could get out of range, Taiyang could use his portals to get them across and headed to the parking lot.

"Yo, so they _are_ skin-"

"Shh," she hushed gently. "They might just be here for her."

She jerked her head slightly towards the sanctuary behind them.

"….you mean the fucking bird that guy brought in?" he glanced at her. "Man, I thought she was too calm. I've seen hurt raptors before, they are _not_ that chill."

She glanced at him, wondering when he'd seen many raptors before when she tensed again. Two shadows flitted overhead and Raven's knuckles tightened, preparing for weapons fire. None came. The hawks landed in a branch in a tree next to the building, still watching them but not following as they continued down the path.

"We need to get out of here," Raven insisted.

"Wait, what about Harold and Sabel?" Taiyang paused, turning to look back. "What if they hurt them?"

Raven hesitated. If they were raiders then that was always a possibility; and the fact that they were blanketing the area was concerning. However, if they charged back in guns blazing, they'd likely incite the violence they were hoping to prevent.

The skinchangers might just be waiting for their friend to be alone, so they could swoop in and get her; it's not like she was in any danger from Harold or Sabel. In fact, the only people in the area that could even be considered an actual threat, would be them.

"….I don't think that they will. They aren't trying to draw attention to themselves, or they'd already be rushing inside. That and they'd already had the jump on us and didn't act," Raven turned away, clutching the shoebox. "They're just trying to warn us off."

_They assumed I could tell what they were, meaning they can tell what I am. That is…really annoying._

There was still a lot about her new abilities that she didn't understand yet. She would need to ask Ciara about the finer details; like how to spot another skinchanger.

After they rounded the corner, the pair started to jog lightly; the box in her arms was still quiet, but Raven did her best to prevent shaking them. They reached a rocky outcrop by the lake, clearing the iSemblance suppressed area, and found they could use their Semblances once again.

_Should we go back to the school? Or cross here?_

Raven thought back over the past several days, trying to pick out anything that might stand out. Her brother found some birds, whose parents had disappeared and sounded like crying children. They had taken care of them inside the dorm all weekend. Had anything else happened that she had brushed off at the time?

She heard a hawk screech in the distance. The screech was repeated, closer.

_They're still keeping an eye on us…more are likely coming. _

This entire situation seemed off. If she was a part of a skinchanger warband that had infiltrated a Kingdom's walls, she would never have revealed herself to a potential hostile with similar abilities in such a manner unless she planned on killing them; and even then, it would be an unnecessary risk. They would be dangerously outnumbered behind Kingdom walls, and the threat of capture would endanger the entire tribe; especially by blatantly revealing one of their most well-kept secrets.

_The hell are these guys doing?_

"Which way?" Taiyang asked, his blue eyes narrowing at the skies.

Something in bushes rustled, and Raven drew her blade and spun, pointing her sword menacingly at some hapless shrubbery. A dark, furry little face poked out, staring at her; a cat, no. The little cat from the school; it wasn't quite looking at her, focused instead on the box in her arms. It then stared at her sword, it's hackles raising as it's inky tail slashed.

"Portals, please," she hummed.

"Gotcha," Tai kicked a few focal points across the water, where they sprang to life on the trail leading up to the parking lot.

The hawks were shrieking now, and Raven grit her teeth as they jumped through one golden portal and out another, then through and out another pair. Taiyang wove an escape route for them, closing the portals behind them swiftly so as not to leave a trail; he kicked one on top of a building across the street once they got up to the parking lot, and they exited there, before continuing in a quick trail over several more buildings.

Thus, they made a confusing, nigh untraceable escape across several city blocks. They finally stopped on an apartment rooftop that had a garden and a canopy to shield people from the sun; currently, they were the only people there. Raven knew they needed to get to ground level and in a crowded area where they would be safe, but first, it was time to clear something up.

She opened the shoebox. Four frightened faces stared back. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out the trick out that would let her know the difference; instead, she sighed and shook her head.

"Ok, look," she squinted at them. "I know you guys are freaked out, and that something more convoluted is going on? But we almost took your feathery little butts to an animal shelter, because we had no clue what you were. You need to shift back for now so we can talk like people and figure this out, ok?"

Taiyang stared at her, then the baby crows. Nothing happened.

"Soooo, not to be insensitive. But I am going to laugh my ass of if those are just regular baby birds," Tai chuckled. "And if that cat and the hawks are just a regular cat and hawks. And we're just running around the Kingdom, scared of normal animals."

Raven glared at him. She knew he was joking, but it still kinda pissed her off; because there was a chance he was right, and then she'd look delusional.

"Fuck you, they aren't. That cat was from the school and was clearly hunting them. How did a regular cat get from Beacon to Vale?"

"….maybe he took the ferry?" Tai teased.

Raven rolled her eyes and looked back at the maybe actual birds. One of them peeped at her.

"I'm serious," Raven stared at them. "We need to clear this up."

They stared back.

Maybe they were stuck? She got stuck sometimes, too. Or maybe Tai was right and she was a nutter.

Then suddenly, Raven was no longer holding a box full of baby crows. She instead had a lapful of baby people, who promptly leapt off and scattered for the winds. Taiyang gaped.

"What? What the what?!"

Raven cursed, preparing to give chase, before tossing a look at her teammate.

"Well come on then! We can't let a bunch of toddlers run off!"

Tai blinked, cursed, and took off after the closest one. Wrangling a nestful of skinchanger kids was deplorably difficult; they were trapped on the roof with them, thank the gods, because if they weren't, they would have lost them immediately. They were wily little shits and worked together like a furious, scrabbling hive mind.

There were two girls and two boys, ranging in age from six to two. The oldest girl and boy had a tendency of trying to jump Raven or Tai whenever they managed to scoop up one of the youngest, who were easier to catch. Taiyang could typically get a better grip than she could, but he was very scared of hurting them and immediately let go if they struggled too much or cried out; however, these were clearly tribe kids and made of more ferocious stuff. He should have been more worried about them hurting _him_. The oldest girl even bit the hell out of him at one point, and he dropped her as she tried to 'rescue' her little sister from him.

Seeing this, Raven suddenly changed tactics and went for the ringleader. Remembering how her mothers used to grapple her when she was being a spitting, bitey hell-fiend, Raven picked her up similarly and pinched the back of her neck. She stopped kicking promptly, going limp in her arms like a small sack of very angry potatoes. It was bizarre to actually be on the other end of this exchange for once.

"Stop your bullshit," Raven growled. "We aren't going to hurt them or you."

The oldest girl, who had scruffy, mid-length brown hair with a few haphazard braids glared at her captors balefully with surly almond eyes; her face was covered in dirt, and her clothes were filthy. All of them looked like they had crawled out of an ash tray.

Seeing the apprehension of their glorious leader, the other rabid munchkins stopped trying to bite Taiyang as they stared fearfully their way. Wary of treachery, Raven didn't set her hostage down yet.

"Get your little butts over here, right now," Raven snapped at them. "All of you."

Shoulders slumping, the miscreant trio sulked over to her. Tribe kids responded to three things: unrelenting confidence, authority and loud noises. She should have gone for that to begin with instead trying to play capture the wild-thing.

"We aren't going to hurt you," Raven insisted again firmly. "Now stop being dumb and let us help. Who are your people? What are your names?"

The hellion in her arms hissed like a cat on crack and tried to sluggishly kick free, but Raven applied firm pressure to the points on her neck. She knew all too well from personal experience that the pressure she was using wouldn't cause her any damage, and that it did not hurt. Taiyang was watching all of this with his typical brand of concern, unsure what was the right way to approach. Needless to say, he was not used to dealing with kids like these; Raven couldn't really claim she was used to dealing with kids like these, either.

The second oldest, the boy with a shaved head and stub nose, kicked the ground and muttered something as his little sister clutched his hand. She had immense, round eyes like dinner plates.

"Speak up," Raven said calmly.

"We're wif the Macmillans," he grumbled with a lisp. "From the north."

North came like 'norf'.

"Connor, shut it," hell-child number one growled trying to squirm free. Raven held onto her easily.

"Stop scaring your siblings," Raven retorted sharply. "It's not everyday Branwen Hunters can offer to help you, now use your damn head."

"Branwen Hunters don't make no sense," the girl spat. "You don't make no sense!"

"Ingrid, come on," Connor whined at his older sister. "They took care of us-"

"That don't mean they our friends!"

_Ah. _

"Alright then" Raven shrugged, setting Ingrid down and folding her arms.

Ingrid bolted over to her siblings, shooting daggers at Raven with her eyes. Raven cocked her head.

"Go on, since you're so stubborn," Raven gestured towards the door. "If you say you don't need our help, then I guess you don't need it."

Ingrid narrowed her eyes at Raven, before looking at her siblings. The two youngest were on the verge of tears, and Connor looked miserable.

"But whoever is after you and your people must be pretty tough, I imagine," Raven raised her eyebrow. "I hope you can stay ahead of them."

Ingrid winced, looking at the youngest boy who, despite being a spry little thing, was definitely too young to be out on the streets without an adult. Taiyang was hovering at Raven's shoulder, watching the interaction; fortunately, he trusted her enough by now that he knew she wouldn't _actually_ let a couple of orphans wander off into the streets of Vale.

"…Why you want to help anyways?" Ingrid glared at her suspiciously.

_Fair enough line of questioning_.

"It's kind of our M.O, to be honest," Taiyang chuckled. He dropped down to one knee so that he was level with them and less threatening. "Look, if we're the kind of people to take baby birds to an animal shelter, do you think we're the kind of people to hurt a couple of kids?"

"No," mumbled Connor.

"I dunno, maybe," growled Ingrid.

The youngest girl was tugging on Connor's hand; she whispered in his ear when he leaned closer. He nodded.

"Should go inside," he insisted, looking up to the skies. "They're gonna find us."

Ingrid made a wild expression before facepalming; Raven had to keep herself from chuckling.

"Alright, well let's go ah, not that way. Raven, can you get us back to the dorm?"

Raven brushed against her bonds with Qrow and Summer.

"They're in class. But we can change that with a scroll call. Until then, let's find a spot to lay low."

"That building is abandoned," pointed Tai. "I can pop us over, you guys can fill us in and then we can try to find a nice crowd or something to hide in until Summer and Qrow get out of class."

Raven nodded, watching the cluster of skinchanging youth while wondering what in the blazing blue fuck they were supposed to do with them; and who was trying to hurt the little things in the first place?

i 


	13. Chapter 13

Music Choices: The Hero, The Saint, The Tyrant and The Terrorist by The Reign of Kindo

Eclipse

Chapter 13

Feathers Part IV

Raven and Taiyang cleared the floor of the abandoned office building they'd temporarily taken refuge in, determining it was safe for now. They weren't sure what capabilities those other skinchangers had, but if they had someone who could suppress Semblances, then they needed to stay on their game and keep moving. They also needed to decide on whether they should take the Macmillan kids back to Beacon.

Beacon was the safest place within Kingdom territory, more so perhaps even then the castle. With the combination of Oz's drones, unknown glyph and technological defenses, Hunters in training and instructors, trying to break in would be nearly impossible; unless you were a witchfinger, or someone of equal skill.

Even then, it would be nigh impossible for anyone to yank four screaming kids out of the dorm room with a floor of junior Hunters protecting them; however, there would certainly be questions as to why a posse of scruffy toddlers were hiding in their room if the wrong people came around. Beacon could not be a permanent shelter; not unless they wanted the children to ultimately wind up in Vale's foster system. Then there would be no hope of them finding their family again.

The Macmillan children plopped down in a huddle together, watching them with tired, wary eyes. Taiyang quietly sat down across from them, smiling genuinely. Ingrid glared at him.

"Do you want to tell us what happened?" he asked calmly.

Raven stayed standing, watching the entrances and pacing slowly, peering out the windows occasionally. A pigeon flew by, and she stilled. She really needed to figure this out. How could she tell what was what?

"We was scavenging within the walls with our parents," Connor offered up finally. "Our tribe's been hurting late with no chief and Dad said we'd be ok. People wouldn't notice us, cause we can hide with our second skins and most cagers are headblind."

"Don't tell them that," hissed Ingrid.

"What?" chirped Connor.

"That we got no chief!"

"Why?" asked Connor, his face bewildered. "We don't!"

Raven glanced their way, certain facts quickly beginning to fall in place. Taiyang held his palms up soothingly.

"Hey, it's ok. We understand," he showed them the tattoo on his arm, the one 'gifted' to him by Chen. "We have ties with all kinds of free people, alright? We aren't here to take advantage; we just want to help. It sounds like your family was having a really hard time."

The siblings stared at the ink with recognition, sharing curious looks. The Red Flags were well known across Remnant. Connor finally bobbed, wiping his nose habitually. Ingrid grumbled something, looking away from her younger siblings. The two smallest ones had stayed quiet throughout this and were instinctively doing their best to look smaller.

"Yeh. Dad and Momma was really worried. Our scouts kept disappearing on their flights, and then Grimm could sneak up more and more. All our friends were too far away to help. So we come down here to get supplies and food, and things were good for a while. But then those other shifters attacked us and kept finding us. We tried to leave, but they was watching all the gates and ferry's out, and we can't fly yet."

Raven frowned at that, deeply disturbed. That didn't sound like another tribe to her at all. Only the desperate would risk scavenging inside a Kingdom anyways; and she couldn't think of any Valish tribe that would attack starving parents and their children on a mission to share wealth with their people. Let alone work to keep them within Kingdom territory.

"So they hid you at Beacon?" Tai prodded after Connor trailed off. The little boy looked so serious and kept swallowing nervously as he talked.

"Yeh. Those others wouldn't go near it, and it was the only ferry they weren't guarding. Dad and Momma told us to stay put til they found a way out; but they…they didn't come back."

"How long ago was that?" Taiyang asked gently.

"Couple days," Connor mumbled. "I think those others caught them."

"The ones chasing you. They were hawks?" Raven asked, glancing at the kids.

"Not all, but some. There was that scary falcon, too; she leads them. We thought they was another tribe at first, but Momma said they couldn't be. It's why when you found us we wasn't sure what to do or who you was with."

Raven played with her Nevermore feathers thoughtfully, turning to look out the window again. What if there were skinchangers who weren't free people, but another faction entirely? But even if that were so, who in the hell were they and why didn't the other tribes know this?

"Well look, we aren't going to let anything happen to you guys, ok?" Taiyang smiled warmly. His sincerity was getting to them, and their scrappy little frames were beginning to relax.

"You aren't gonna to turn us in?" Ingrid asked skeptically.

"Nope," Tai shook his head. "I'll tell you what we are gonna do though."

The four shuffled anxiously.

"What?" asked the youngest boy. His hair was bright, bright red, and shaved in a near mohawk.

"Get something for you kids to eat other than soggy dogfood," he laughed. "Seriously, I feel really, really bad! We honestly had no clue. Also, you four would probably appreciate some baths, huh?"

The four feral munchkins sighed in unison, a mixture of relief and chagrin. Raven felt her mouth pull in a slight smile as she stared out at the streets. They needed to get moving again. Checking her bonds, she realized that Summer and Qrow had moved across the grounds and were no longer in class.

"Tai," she glanced at him. "The others are out. I'll get one of them to go back to the room."

If these antagonists were afraid to approach Beacon, then it really was the safest place for them while the team figured out what to do. They would just have to find a way to hide them. Taiyang dusted his hands, popping to his feet gracefully.

"Sounds good."

Nodding, Raven swept her blade free of its scabbard and sliced; a vortex sprang to life, one leading her to her brother. The bond responded, her brother's curiosity and surprise trickling over it. Behind her, she heard the youngest boy exclaim.

"Magic sword!"

"No Culann, it's not magic," groused Ingrid.

"Magic sword," Culann insisted.

"NO."

Raven snorted, trotting through the vortex and over the wasteland between. Today, the bizarre dimension that connected her portals was midafternoon bright; the structure that always hovered in the distance seemed closer. She realized that it was actually quite immense; she still needed to investigate it one of these days, but doing so might be a huge drain on her aura for no practical reason.

Shaking her observations off, she exited the nether realm and found herself on the grass by one of the team's favorite trees; sometimes they liked to lounge beneath it between classes, and that appeared to be what Summer and Qrow had been up to.

"Hey sis," Qrow waved, still stretched out in the shade. "How'd it go? They ok?"

Raven shook her head, pushing her hair out of her face habitually.

"I need one of you to go back to the dorm room."

"Why?" Summer asked, her ears flipping up.

"They are apparently not birds."

Qrow blinked slowly, still confused.

"The hell do you mean they aren't birds?"

"I mean they aren't fucking birds. We almost took a bunch of toddlers to an animal shelter," Raven grimaced. "They're tiny skinchangers."

This was a weird day; and she was not someone unaccustomed to weird days.

Qrow's eyes slowly rounded as he realized what had happened.

"Noooo. No shit?"

"Yep," she drew out.

Qrow slapped his palm to his forehead, sitting up quickly.

"That's why they sounded like little kids!"

"Yeeeeep."

"Oh. Dude, we fed them dog food!" he pulled at his hair. "Fuck!"

Summer's eyes were huge and shiny with the implications.

"We are literally the worst!"

"Qrow, snap out of it, we can be the worst later. I need one of you to go right now, because someone is after them, and now apparently us. Tai and I can only be angry hobbit vanguard for so long," Raven huffed.

"I'll come with you!" Summer exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "Qrow, go! Go go!"

Qrow shifted skins and took off towards the dorm, cawing occasionally. Fortunately, no one was around to see him; they needed to be even more reserved with their abilities, until they understood what was going on.

Raven studied the sky carefully, before grabbing Summer's hand and darting back into the vortex. They trotted over the sands before exiting in the abandoned office building; in the brief space of the time she had been gone, a squabble had broken out between the siblings over something ridiculous and Taiyang was the poor soul trying to separate them.

"Hey, don't hit your sister!"

"You're not my DA! You don't tell me what to do!"

"Do you all want go back in the box again for time out? Hey, don't bite _me_ either!"

"INGI IS MEAN!"

"NO I'M NOT, MAIZY! YOU SHUT UP!"

"Mean, meanie meanie Mcmeanie head!"

Summer stood next to Raven, staring as her boyfriend held two wildlings by the scruff to keep them form hurting each other. Both Ingrid and her little sister were spitting and snarling like cats. Connor was trying to help Taiyang as keeper of the peace, and the youngest boy seemed to enjoy egging his sisters on, because all two-year olds are agents of chaos.

"Oh my Dust," Summer whispered, a huge grin breaking out on her face. "They really frickin **are** little kids."

"Don't get too excited," Raven drawled. "They're tribe, so a pack of starving coyotes would probably be more manageable."

Summer shot her a very amused look, one that caused Raven's cheeks to warm.

"I mean, we already manage with you and Qrow, sooo," Summer shrugged, eyes impish.

"Screw you," Raven chuckled.

"Ooh, maybe later," Summer teased.

"Could you two actually assist me or something?" Taiyang asked, looking overwhelmed. "They are _way_ stronger than they look."

"TAKE IT BACK!"

"NOOO!"

"Hey!" Raven barked. "Quit your fucking bullshit!"

_Damn, I sound just like my mother. She can't find out about this; I'll never hear the end of it._

The sisters quit clawing at each other, frozen as they glanced her way. The boys immediately straightened up, shuffling away from the conflict.

"If you four want to eat like real people, then I suggest_ acting_ like people and not a couple of racoons in a tumble dryer," Raven snapped. "Otherwise, I'm sure we still have some dog food somewhere."

Summer gave her a dry stare, while Taiyang looked horrified, but the siblings immediately let go of whatever grudge they had, faces brightening at the idea of food. Except for Maizy, who tossed her hands into the air and began chanting.

"Dog food! Dog food! Dog food!"

"Maizy, no!" Ingrid exclaimed, looking far too exasperated for a six-year-old. "You need to eat like a people!"

"I'm not a people! I'm a bird people!" Maizy laughed maniacally. "CAW CAW!"

Summer immediately hid a giggle behind her hand.

"Hey, shut it," Raven interrupted them, before they could devolve into another senseless fight. "We're going back to the dorm room. Which means? What?"

"We gotta be quiet," Connor offered immediately, eying his sisters.

"Exactly," Raven folded her arms. "Can you guys do that?"

"I can," Ingrid grumbled, glaring at her little sister. Maizy promptly blew a raspberry, but stopped once she saw the look on Raven's face. She let her tongue dangle comically before giving her a thumbs up. Connor and Culain both bobbed silently. Raven somehow resisted the urge to massage her temple.

"Alright then. Good."

Summer was still smiling at the kids, who were finally beginning to take notice of her, when her ears flicked backwards; she moved before Raven could fully register the motion, right as the link with her brother was forcefully blocked off.

The portal behind them snapped shut; Raven stumbled as blinding pain exploded in her temple, while Taiyang's aura blazed to life, golden waves engulfing his figure as he shielded the children in his arms.

"SHIT!" Raven fell to her knee, engaging her damaged aura. She shook her head rapidly, trying to clear it.

Summer had burst into a cloud of petals, swarming towards the room's entrance. Raven could hear Dustfire and her adrenaline kicked in as she finally forced herself back to her feet. Whatever had just happened had cost her heavily, her aura falling below fifty percent.

Taiyang had bodily thrown himself behind several overturned desks, dragging the Macmillan kids with him; Raven got between them with her sword in hand, trying to get her bearings while cursing herself for not paying better attention.

Her Semblance was being blocked, and it seemed that Tai's was as well; however, Summer's was not. Her partner was blurring around several figures that had crept up on them, tiger hooks flashing intermittently.

_Whoever can block our Semblances has limitations, then. Likely line of sight or targeting over two. So which one are they-_

A Dust round cracked brilliantly over her head. Snarling, she changed her sword's coating to blue, drew her blade again and triggered the Dust as she swept an arc before her; hefty spires of ice erupted up and outwards, creating a bristling wall of frost between herself and the shooters. She checked her bonds, and realized they were still blocked.

_Perhaps not line of sight then. _

She managed a quick head count as she peered around the glacial slab; there were four other people that she could see. Summer had engaged three of them with all the fury of a small hurricane. Dust rounds exploded heavily against the protective barrier that Raven had raised; chunks of ice and water rained down on her head.

Behind herself and the glacial barrier, Taiyang was working on getting the kids out of danger while not getting himself shot in the process. He snatched up one of the heavy metal desks and caveman hefted it over his head, burning with aura. With a shout, he twirled it by a leg and smashed it into the flimsy wall connecting to the adjoining room. It tore a hole through big enough for them to climb through.

Raven ducked behind the ice shield as her opponent attempted to blow her head off. With her aura this low, she wouldn't be able to take many direct hits from that; and if they had any aural piercing rounds about, she was a goner.

Taiyang dropped down low, disappearing behind the desks, before reappearing with four kids in his arms; Raven deflected a shot aimed at his back with a sweep of ice, inadvertently causing a window to her left to explode; finally, Tai shoved the little Macmillan's through the newly made door, shielding them with his body.

Raven raised another ice barrier as her first one began to give way, water flowing across the tiles from the heat. She paused, studying the small lake. Her attacker was getting closer, Dust shotgun cradled in his arms; he was dressed in plains clothes, like any joe off the street outside.

Raven searched around swiftly, spotting several cement blocks that rose easily above the puddle spreading over the ground. She hopped on top of them, sheathing her sword and spinning the Dust chamber to a new coating; then she waited, watching the man's figure approaching through the ice, ears straining. She heard his boots splashing.

Drawing her sword, she touched the tip of the weapon to the water below, triggering the electric Dust. It crackled eagerly, bolts of electricity swarming outwards and across the water. Her opponent's aura lit up as he was engulfed in enough current to roast an Ursa; she heard him screaming, but he was stuck now, unable to pull away as the electricity froze his limbs. She smelled burning hair.

After several seconds, she let the lightening in her hands die out; his body collapsed into the water as she darted out from behind her melting ice shield. She didn't bother to check if he was alive or not.

Across the office space, Summer had taken down one of their attackers, and was busy keeping the last two on their toes; Raven took a running a leap, landing on an upright desk before springing atop another. She pushed off the second, crouching behind a woman with short green hair and a long navy coat.

The woman spun her rifle, sending the stock towards Raven's head; Summer took that moment to hook her behind the knee and trip her, allowing Raven to dodge. The woman recovered her balance, trying to punch the barrel of her rifle at Raven's chest. Raven got her sword up, pressing the flat of her blade with the palm of her free hand, deflecting the strike in a shower of sparks.

A bold man, the sort who dared to have frosted tips in this day and age, lashed out at Summer's turned back with a black baton; but he hit nothing but air as Summer blurred upwards, rolling over his shoulders and landing a boot kick to the back of his head.

Meanwhile, Raven and greenbean continued exchanging rapid blows that ultimately were getting them nowhere; the green haired woman was more interested in trying to disarm Raven and seemed consistently surprised that her attempts were being so easily rebuffed.

As she struck out with her rifle again, Raven decided she'd had enough; triggering the yellow Dust coating her sword, she buzzed the woman's arm and her aura lit up, causing her to withdraw in pain. Pushing closer, Raven pinned the woman's rifle close to her chest and brought her knee up into her exposed stomach, over and over again.

In the midst of merrily pulverizing her stunned opponent, Raven glanced down and saw the woman's coat had pulled back, revealing two items dangling from her belt: a pair of handcuffs, and what looked to be a badge. Raven's eyes widened in shock.

_Oh no. _

She flared her aura, shoving greenbean into frosted-tips, who Summer was currently making a monkey of. Both of them stumbled, looking worse for wear, before Raven crashed the hilt of her sword into the woman's temple. The woman collapsed, groaning.

The man yelped in fear, but instead of launching immediately at Raven, stopped to frantically check the woman. Summer, who was hardly a person to attack someone checking on their friend, hesitated and met Raven's eyes; Raven grabbed her partner by the hand again and began sprinting for the hole in the wall that Taiyang had made.

"Why does this always happen to us?!" Summer yelped, keeping up with her easily.

Raven didn't respond, too busy muttering a string a dark curses, mentally leaping through the facts as she knew them. A pack of very organized skinchangers were hunting down tribes people in their territory, tribes people who had likely been stealing and up to their own typical devices; they had the resources to keep an eye on all the Kingdom's exits, and to somehow track an elusive skinchanger family inside a city of several million people. They wore street clothing and seemed to have partners. They had badges.

_Shit fucking hell!_

"TAIYANG!" she shouted as they burst into the room.

Tai was not immediately visible in the gutted room. She glanced around rapidly, but Summer and her infallible snoot followed his trail. She quickly clambered up onto an overturned vending machine, pointing up. A ceiling tile pulled back, and Tai's blonde head poked out, followed by several other little faces.

"Sup ladies? Ya'll got any plans tonight?"

Summer laughed in relief, waving up at him and his posse of munchkins.

"Not spending the night in prison. It's time to go," Raven declared.

Summer's eyes widened at that.

"Kay," he hopped down on the vending machine, lifting his hands up. "Wait, prison?"

He was interrupted when Maizy dropped down into his arms, whom he caught reflexively before passing her off to Summer. The others quickly followed suit. Both Summer and Raven carried their hobbits to one of the windows at the far end of the room, setting them down while shielding them from the makeshift door.

"I still can't use my Semblance," Taiyang declared, watching their backs. "Rae?"

Raven shook her head, grimacing.

"That'll be her work," Connor declared, looking fearfully out the window. "She circles overhead and smothers your Semblances while her people make you fly for cover."

"Then she dives down," Ingrid growled. "She broke Ma's wing with that."

"She?" Summer asked, aiming the pistols in her hilts towards the door. A tuft of frosted hair peeked around the corner and Summer calmly fired a round above it, making the man duck back with a curse.

"The falcon," Raven drawled. "I have an idea, but it means splitting up."

Summer and Taiyang gave her nervous looks.

"She isn't targeting Summer for some reason," Raven asserted. "Summer, can your Semblance carry all of six of you guys at once?"

Summer's eyes lit up in understanding.

"Not very far, but they are small, so farther than I would normally."

"Good enough. Let me draw her off, then get out of her range; once Taiyang can use his portals, make for the ferry to Beacon. I'll meet you back at the school."

Summer's ears continued to pivot as she caught sounds that Raven could not.

"I'm not so sure about this, baby; splitting up never goes right for us."

"Yo seriously, what if she tries to kill you and we aren't there?" Taiyang chimed in.

Summer fired another round at the actual door to her right as a shadow moved; Raven could hear more people entering the other room. Backup had arrived, and they were trying to flush them out. Raven pulled the window up, glaring out at the sunny street below.

"It sucks, but so do all of our options currently. And maybe she will, but I doubt it," Raven shook her head. "Because I think they're fucking cops."

Summer and Taiyang gaped at this information, but Raven didn't stay to explain; she shifted into her second skin and leapt into the air, her wings catching the wind beneath. She took off to the left, making sure to make a racket as she flapped heavily, trying to appear injured and panicked as she wove around the corner of the building.

_Come on sweetie, come and get me. _

Raven listened to the wind, to the cars and pedestrians below, to music drifting out of an open window. A shadow appeared in her periphery, higher than herself and moving at speeds she wouldn't be capable of in any form; for a moment, she thought of training with Deidrick in the garden all those months ago.

_Three, two, one-_

Raven rolled, closing her wings close to her side and dropping towards the cement below. A blur of feathers and talons tore past, right where her wing had been moments before.

_Her tail feathers were fixed, they must have a healer._

Raven swerved into an alleyway, dodging fire escapes, laundry lines, and the occasional trashcan as she flew like a drunk uncle. She could hear a hunting shriek behind her, one too close for comfort; internally, she stayed calm, focused on the end of the alleyway.

Her opponent was used to chasing frightened scavengers in an unfamiliar environment; she was faster than Raven, and on her home turf. Raven needed to make her think she was running scared or she might get wise and call in back up; she needed to get her alone, too far from her little friends to assist her and too overconfident to think Raven was luring her into a trap.

She burst from the alley way, cawing raucously and flapped into traffic, weaving amongst the honking cars. The falcon was hot on her tail, trying to get above her once again; she wouldn't risk diving down on Raven above a busy street, however. All Raven needed to do was follow the road and stay ahead of her; as the shadow continued to close in behind her, Raven realized that doing so would be a lot harder than she'd thought.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Notes**: What's up kiddos, sorry that its been a while. Not sure when the next chapter will be, since life has been pretty crazy lately. But I guess we'll see. Anyways, who else is stoked for November?

**Music Choices**: Shut Up! by Simple Plan, Major System Error by Marmozets

Eclipse

Chapter 14

Feathers Part V

Raven glided under the carriage of an SUV, panting as her claws grazed over sweaty asphalt. Above her, several tons of metal, oil and pistons growled along. The speed limit and traffic surrounding her were fairly slow, preventing the vehicle from rolling ahead of her.

Her pursuer was a car length behind, but she never risked flying under one of automobiles throughout their chase; the drivers had a tendency of switching lanes suddenly, or braking, making it difficult to not get turned into feathery roadkill. Which was why Raven flew under them as often as possible, disconcerting her faster, more aggressive opponent.

The falcon would have to stay close to keep eyes on her, despite wanting to climb higher for a better advantage. If she so much as blinked, Raven would be able to duck out from beneath a car and down an alleyway. This was making Raven's pursuer obviously desperate; she believed Raven was right on the verge of slipping away from her.

A horn honked angrily as the driver above her braked hard, barely avoiding rear ending the truck in front of him. Raven timed her escape, flapping out from beneath the carriage of the vehicle and darting through a crowd of people in front of a popular café.

The falcon screeched in outrage, having passed the spot that Raven bolted at; she would have to bank and come back around, giving Raven a few seconds head start. The alleyway was not very lengthy, and dead ended with a wooden fence that blocked off a construction site. Apparently, Vale wanted yet another skyscraper, but was out of funding for the project as the site was completely empty of workers.

Practically humming to herself, Raven made for a pile of concrete drainage cylinders that had yet to be buried. She flew into one easily and waited. Her opponent was targeting her with her Semblance and didn't need line of sight to maintain it; which meant she could likely track her aura once she locked onto to it, or something similar. Therefore, she would see Raven in the cylinders and try to flush her out thinking she was hiding.

Typically, hiding in something like a cylinder would put Raven at a tactical disadvantage, much like a fish in a barrel. However, she had a little surprise for her new friend, and immediately shifted skins; she could only stretch out in the cylinder, but managed to change the coating of her blade to yellow and draw it awkwardly, angling the blade so that it was pointing forward. The back of the cylinders were against another wooden fence, preventing a sneak attack from that end.

As Raven waiting, she took a brief stock of her aura and physical condition, pleasantly surprised to realize that her aura was recovering much more rapidly in her second skin than in her human one. This was something that Ciara had brought up previously, but Raven had yet to actually test it. She was still below one hundred percent but had recovered enough that she was not immediately concerned with an outright fight.

She listened to her environment, aware that the falcon was circling her overhead. If she was smart, she would stay there until her people came to back her up, effectively trapping Raven. However, Raven strongly suspected that her opponent underestimated her 'prey' regularly, having never been hunted herself.

Raven grinned and cawed mockingly. There was a long pause, before she finally heard footsteps on the gravel outside, soft and serious. She cawed again, louder. The footsteps came closer; more silence, until Raven heard movement on the concrete skin above her, pacing. Then the steps moved towards the entrance of the pipe.

Raven waited, keeping an eye on the clear end of the pipe and the circle of light three meters away. She saw a shadow as the woman hopped down by the entrance; a second later, a tear gas canister was tossed down the tube towards her. Instead of panicking, Raven immediately triggered the yellow Dust coating of her sword; a bolt of lightening snapped out, striking the canister back and causing it to explode into an angry plume. Raven heard the woman shout in surprise.

She changed skins again, utilizing a trick her mother had taught her and shielded her eyes and face with aura as she darted out of the drainage pipe. It wasn't a feat she could maintain indefinitely, but it kept her eyes and sinuses from burning as she took the air above the cloud.

Her opponent was staggering back from the cloud, a weapon in hand. She would take to the skies again any second and have the upper hand once more unless Raven struck immediately. Having gained some altitude, Raven shifted skins and barreled down atop her, sword swinging. She triggered the electric Dust coating her blade and sent the falcon woman flying ass to dirt, her cerulean aura diffusing the blow; Raven leapt after her, pressing her advantage viciously.

To her opponent's credit, she recovered quickly, springing to her feet and bringing her own weapon to bear; a claymore, one embedded with Dust infused glyphs of an unknown nature. Their swords clashed, as Raven mercilessly tested the other woman's strength and speed.

The falcon woman, who had long blue and white hair and wore actual steel and canvas armor, glared at her in outrage. Raven laughed at the expression, triggering the Dust along her blade. Another bolt of lightning lanced past the woman's face, attracted to the metal pylon standing nearby; the air smelled like ozone.

The falcon woman shoved Raven's blade back, taking a defensive posture as she tried to reevaluate Raven's skill; however, Raven did not feel like giving her the time to do so, and pursued. The claymore and Raven's katana darted dangerously through the air as their wielders danced around each other.

The falcon woman was physically stronger than Raven, and her blows shook the bones in her arms and shoulders; she was also quite aware of her environment, refusing to let Raven drive her back into obstacles or trip her. Even the glyphs on her blade, once triggered, sped up her attacks, indicating a form of time dilation; fortunately, the glyphs seemed to have a limit, because the woman only seemed able to utilize them once every thirty seconds.

Raven swept low over the gravel and sand as she dodged a strike, grabbing up a handful of the debris and flung it into the falcon woman's golden eyes. Her opponent snarled angrily, shaking her head without releasing her grip on her hilt; Raven darted in, landing a crackling strike against her unguarded upper arm, lighting up her opponent's aura painfully.

"You cheating dog," falcon woman spat, bringing her blade back around to deflect Raven. It was the first thing she'd ever said to her.

"Rich, coming from a woman using tear gas," Raven tossed right back, blocking a retaliating blow.

Raven sent a kick towards her face, aura blazing. The falcon woman twisted, and Raven kicked her shoulder instead; the woman stumbled and Raven spun, sending a sparking arc of electricity waving before her. Cerulean aura flared, absorbing the damage. Raven measured the distance between them.

"You're going to make me actually hurt you, aren't you?" the woman scoffed, dusting her shoulder with gloved fingers.

"Not to damage your fragile ego or whatever, but you're doing a shit job of it so far," Raven drawled, her bored tone at odds with the tension humming under her skin. "I suppose terrifying small children is more your speed?"

The other woman's cheeks darkened at the barb. Raven smirked tauntingly.

"Tch. Absurd. It's like you people come looking for a fight," the woman rallied.

"Yes, you're right. That's exactly what we were doing at a fucking bird sanctuary," Raven said sardonically, tilting her head. "Trying to pick a fight with a band of lunatics. You got us."

"Seriously? You want to play the innocent civilian card?" the woman droned, golden eyes glaring balefully. "You honestly expect me to believe that?"

"Considering that I am?" Raven tapped her chin, smirking at her. "Sure. Why not?"

Falcon woman shook her head in nearly palpable condescension. Instead of it making Raven immediately angry, it just made her want to laugh. This was pretty hilarious to her, in fact; because for once, Raven really hadn't done anything wrong. Whatever agency this woman was a part of, she was way out of line; not that they usually weren't.

"Unbelievable. Surrender, now, and the worst you need to worry about is some jail time-"

"Yea, sorry sweetie, I'll pass. Because, oh dear! You forgot to actually identify yourself before assaulting me and my friends," Raven interrupted, her face full of mockery. "For all I know, you're a runaway circus clown with a vigilante fetish. You certainly fight like one."

Falcon woman looked like she wanted to set Raven's body on fire in a mass grave. Raven smiled, her grin dripping poison. Falcon woman drew her badge out from within her vest, flashing some silver crest at her.

"I don't know what that says," Raven smirked. "You're too far away."

"I'm not coming closer to you, I might catch fleas," falcon woman bit. "I am a lieutenant of the Kings Service. **You** are an unauthorized skinchanger and an obvious outlaw. Lay down your weapon and surrender."

_The Kings Service. That's new. And they're full of skinchangers apparently, and who knows what else. This is bad news; I need to warn the Morrigan so she can get word out. _

Raven sheathed her sword, drew out her school id, and smirked at the obnoxious woman across from her.

"Huntress in training. Beacon."

Falcon woman actually tittered and Raven felt herself bristling; her smirk grew more dangerous.

"Like you're the first bandit to pluck an id off a corpse. Don't be absurd."

"Hm," Raven tilted her head. "Are you implying I killed a Hunter?"

_Because I have. _

"Hardly. I'm implying you scavenged at Mountain Glenn and thought yourself clever," falcon woman raised her claymore, her face growing cold.

"I was at Mountain Glenn, you're right," Raven pretended to glance at her nails. "You know, it's funny, though? I didn't see any 'Kings Service' running about helping anyone at all? I guess you guys only come out when you get to beat up starving families."

"Impersonating a dead Huntress is a _very_ serious offense," the falcon woman claimed haughtily, as if talking to an irksome child. "Now hand over that card."

"Come and take it," Raven snarled.

They closed the distance between themselves instantly. During their banter, Raven had quietly changed her blade's coating to black. Therefore, the bitchy lieutenant was quite surprised when Raven triggered gravity Dust instead of electric, and witnessed her claymore's being suddenly glued to Raven's own blade; Raven whipped the sword from her hands and flung the item across the mounds of sand and gravel to their left. Then on the back swing, she slashed the blade against exposed meat; blood sprayed.

The lieutenant's face changed from imperious disdain to cold fury when she observed the ugly slash she'd caught across her forearm instead of her throat; livid hate flickered in golden eyes, before a sheen of blue flickered over them. A canister of tear gas dropped between them, and Raven shielded her eyes with aura a second too late. It burned like a son of a bitch, but it was hardly the first time Raven encountered the substance.

Tears streaked her vision and her sinuses felt like she snorted lava, but Raven still managed to get her guard up as a hail of blows rained down on her; her opponent had used the distraction to regain her sword and could now see clearly while Raven could not. Her strikes also carried a weight and ferocity that they hadn't previously, and Raven was having a difficult time keeping up.

Her aura absorbed several powerful strikes painfully, pushed to the very limit. She spotted a blurry kick to her side and moved to block; but then the falcon woman sped up, engaging her time dilation feat. Another kick, followed by a final blade strike, and Raven felt her aura nearly break as she tried to retreat.

A gauntlet crashed into Raven's ribs out of nowhere, and they cracked. Raven staggered. Half blinded by the tear gas, Raven knew it would not be remotely wise to keep fighting. She could still shift into her second skin, and gods willing, she would still be able to fly despite the pain in her chest. But for whatever blasted reason, she couldn't bring herself to run.

Raven used the last of her aura to trigger the black Dust coating of her sword as a shadow swept towards her head. The claymore glued itself to the blade again, as shielded gold eyes glared at down into her own. The two women pressed against their weapons with all their strength.

"That isn't. Going…To work on me…again," the woman grit out, hanging on to her blade. Her forehead was beaded with sweat, a fact that Raven took pride in despite everything else.

"I know."

Raven spit right in her face and, as the falcon lady reeled back in horror, furiously head butted her. Blood flew as Raven broke the other woman's nose, ignoring the burn in her chest. Now was the time to fly away, and fast. Yet, the image of several dirty, terrified faces looking up at her floated in the back of her mind; and she knew she couldn't.

Raven twisted and broke away, unable to wrench the claymore out of the King's woman's hand. She brought a fist up, shrugged and socked her in the side of the head, before going on the attack again. Her opponent, who was violently cursing Raven's ancestral lineage, renewed her own assault with a vengeance. Their exchanges were increasing in brutality, and at any moment Raven expected to lose a limb; or her head.

"You know what!? Prison isn't good enough for you!" the King's woman declared, trying to sweep her legs out from under her. "After your trial, I am going to hang your body from the palisade myself!"

Raven leaped over her leg, dodging around several cement blocks that awaited patiently to trip her.

"We'll let the Grimm have it! And all your nasty little friends can look up and see your remains swinging!" the woman continued, darting around the blocks as well. "And maybe the next scavenging mongrel will think twice before picking the pockets of a corpse that even in death is worth a thousand times more than they'll ever be!"

"What is this, your fucking therapy hour?" Raven taunted, trying to get under her skin. "What's the matter darling, did you lose someone to the nasty bad bandits? Goodness! Has life been **unfair** to you?!"

"Rrrrr-stand still, you inbreed!"

"Have you tried perhaps calling a hotline? Might I recommend 1-800-HELP-I'M A FASCIST PIG?" Raven chuckled, trying to stay ahead of her. "Instead of being suuuuch a homicidal loser?"

"OH I WILL SHOW YOU A HOMICIDAL -Wait, no-"

Raven cackled, dancing in that space of exhilaration that only existed between two swords and the blood of the people wielding them. She was afraid, but she was alive; and gods, if she didn't just love that.

The King's woman activated her time feat once more, catching up with Raven in a blur as she tried to swipe her with an upwards slice; Raven deflected it, before another strike caught her across her upper arm. It dug in, deep, and Raven bit back a scream.

Blood ran freely down her right arm as she disengaged; something prompted her to duck, and she dodged low to the left as the claymore hissed through the air. Her limbs were shaking as she instinctively reached for her Semblance; but other than a faint flicker, she felt nothing. Without aura and with her bonds being suppressed by her antagonist, there was no help to be had.

She sneered defiantly, blood coating her swords hilt as her trembling fingers tried to keep a grip on it. Her right arm was nearly useless, and the smug face of the King's woman showed that she knew it. In the distance, Raven could hear the engines of a bullhead, flying low over the city.

"Surrender," the woman demanded. "You can't fight like that."

"You'd be surprised, actually," Raven said, wielding her sword in her left hand.

Rolling her golden eyes, the falcon lady came at her again, moving at her regular speed. Her arm burned as she parried again and again, letting herself exist only in the moment and the motion as Raven fought for her life. With every strike she was growing slower, and the loss of blood and aura making her lightheaded; her limbs were heavy, her chest was on fire, and her opponent seemed no closer to exhaustion now than she had earlier.

Raven nearly took a tumble over a twisted pylon as she was driven back towards the unfinished skyscraper. She blocked an opportunistic slash at her thigh, nearly dropping her sword as she dug deep for the strength to push the claymore aside. The King's woman sensed that the last of her defenses were failing and drove forward; and with a flourish, disarmed Raven. The red blade skittered over the concrete to her right, but Raven's eyes stayed glued to her opponents. The claymore rested under her chin.

With a sigh, the King's woman raised an eyebrow at her.

"Now then. Put your hands where I can see them."

"But we haven't established a safe word yet," Raven smirked. The woman's eyebrow twitched in fury.

"You are vile. Comply or-"

"Or you'll kill me?" Raven asked calmly.

The King's woman faltered, her expression confused, before sighing again.

"Not unless you make me, tempting as that might be. Unlike you people, I do have a sense of honor. "

Raven smiled at her, which seemed to cause her more distress than anything. The woman opened her mouth again, frowning angrily, when movement to their left caught Raven's attention. A shining something slammed forcefully into the falcon woman's side, knocking her over with an unflattering yelp.

Raven stepped back, spotting a familiar figure marching implacably in their direction, their hand extended. Raven's mouth dropped as she stared blatantly at her rescuer. Professor fucking Arc, wearing full plate and an expression that would have frozen a Settlement Killer in its tracks, was stalking towards them over the gravel. Raven let out a disbelieving laugh of relief as Arc's shield returned to her hand, obeying the call of its mistress.

The King's woman rolled to her feet, her face promising retribution, when she too beheld Arc; and the color went right out of her cheeks. Arc approached, and Raven imagined the ground shaking beneath her feet. Raven had seen the Professor angry, before; but she had never seen her look like _this_, and it made the hairs on her neck stand up.

"….Joan?" stammered falcon woman, dusting herself off as she sheathed her claymore. "What on Remnant was that for-"

"Never!" Professor Arc snapped. "Never in nearly twenty years of service have I EVER seen outrageous conduct!"

The King's woman glanced about, as if uncertain as to whether Arc was addressing her.

"Outrageous?" she repeated. "We – listen, Joan we respect the BTF but this situation hardly warrants-"

"Shut your pompous mouth, Regalia, before my fist finds a new home in your teeth!" Arc barked, stopping in front of them. 'Regalia' blinked slowly as a gleeful grin spread across Raven's face.

"How **dare you **assault my students?!" Professor Arc snarled. "Who gave you the AUDACITY to terrorize a handful of children and the Hunters who risk themselves daily to protect this bloody gods damned Kingdom unprovoked!? Is this what the King's Service does these days?! Act like a bunch of violent maniacs?!"

Raven glanced mischievously at Regalia, who was staring at her with newfound horror.

"I told you I was a Huntress."

Regalia flinched, visibly, as Professor Arc's face gave an all new meaning to word 'thunderous'.

"I – Surely you jest?" Regalia stammered, pointing accusingly at Raven.

"You really did know?" Arc asked coldly. "And you did this to her anyways?"

Regalia raised her hands in frustration.

"I thought she was lying! They wear tribe coloring, and that boy had Red Flag ink on his arm! Those feathers are from successful raids she has perpetuated! She's an unauthorized skinchanger-"

"She is hardly unauthorized. I authorize her, and so does the Headmaster of Beacon," Arc snapped, waving her hand. "You are a bloody disgrace to your shield. Branwen, we're leaving. Get your sword."

"…She's a Branwen!" protested Regalia, all but pulling her hair. "You knowingly let _Branwens_ into Beacon – are you people high?!"

Raven nearly snickered, but grimaced in pain instead as she staggered over to her weapon and scooped it up gingerly. She should care more that both Arc and Ozpin now apparently knew about their secret; but the loss of blood and delirium was making it difficult to care too much at the moment.

"You should be ashamed," Arc sniffed at Regalia. "But I doubt you have the sense to be. Your chain of command will be informed of this absolute disgrace of a shit show. Now, kindly go jump off a damn cliff."

With that, Arc turned sharply about and escorted Raven off the premises, leaving a flabbergasted Regalia in their wake. The bullhead that Arc had apparently caught a ride in had landed in a parking lot across the street; Arc assisted her across the road, stopping traffic with a firm hand. Nobody dared to honk at her.

Arc set Raven down on the ground firmly as she demanded the pilot to grab the medi-pack, and began inspecting her injuries. Raven had the sense to not protest and was honestly too woozy to do so. A moment later, she was being injected with aura-boosters and her armor removed as Arc cleaned and bandaged the bone-deep gash on her arm. The Professor did not speak nor fuss as she worked, her face stoic.

Finally, the blood-loss had been stemmed, and Raven let out a hiss of relief as her aura set to work on her injuries. As her adrenaline faded, the pain was beginning to really set in.

"How did you get here so fast?" Raven muttered, trying to distract herself.

"Oz owes me many, many favors," Arc replied briskly. "And I encountered your brother panicking in the dorm room when I came looking for all of you. After realizing the gravity of the situation, I decided to make use of such."

Raven raised a confused eyebrow, biting back a curse as her bandaged arm was tucked into a sling.

"You were looking for us?"

Arc spared her a wry glance.

"As a mother of seven extremely mischievous girls, I have excellent instincts. Did you really expect me to not suspect something when you four _in particular_ are all missing from your classes?" Arc droned. "And that was a nice trick you pulled with bribing Amosa. He is a sucker for good food."

Raven smiled hesitantly.

"Thanks."

"Never do it again," Arc hummed. "Or I'll skin the lot of you."

"No promises," Raven smirked.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Notes**: So, I guess I was on a roll. Lol. But this is gonna be the last one for a hot second.

**Music Choices**: Bird Song by Juniper Vale

Eclipse

Chapter 15

The Dangerous Art of Punching Upwards

Professor Arc rode with Raven back to Beacon, sitting across from her in the bullhead's passenger bay. After some of her flippancy had worn off, Raven felt her anxiety mounting once again. She had done not only what she had set out 'not' to do, she had fucked up on multiple fronts; and it was barely the second week of the semester.

Arc was now aware of her and Qrow's skinchanger status, despite her family's multiple warnings to keep her abilities a secret. Ozpin, whom Raven had suspected had known about herself and her brother's status as free people all along, was confirmed to be aware of such; however, Raven was not certain that he knew about their magic abilities. She glanced at the small blonde titan across from her, trying to deduce if it was worth the risk to ask if she keep that aspect a secret.

"Professor?" Raven started, her voice barely rising above the hum of the bullhead.

Professor Arc glanced up from her viewscreen and met her stare evenly.

_Time to live a little dangerously…_

"Is there a…chance that certain things could be withheld from Ozpin?"

"Certain things?" Arc echoed coolly.

"Certain feathery things," Raven continued.

Arc cocked a brow at her.

"You don't want him to know about your abilities?"

A moment passed.

"No. I don't."

_If he doesn't already…gods, mom is going to kill me._

"May I ask why?" Arc asked calmly.

"Because I don't trust him," Raven answered flatly.

Professor Arc did not seem surprised by this revelation; she sighed through her nose, unfolding her arms as she leaned forward.

"I see. And this distrust is based upon your family's perceptions of him? Or something else?"

Raven absorbed the question, trying to find a way to explain herself without giving away more than she already had.

"It's. Complicated."

The Professor waited for her to continue, but Raven was caught, her instincts warring with her mind.

"Raven," Arc started with uncharacteristic gentleness. "There isn't much I can do to help you if you can't be honest with me. I know that asking you to trust me is a …difficult thing. Especially considering your history with authority figures."

Raven opened her mouth to protest, a reflex more than anything else.

"And that mistrust is valid," Arc continued.

Raven blinked.

"It is. I know that it is," Arc gestured to the view of Vale out the window. "I know that there is a severe amount of terrible injustice in the world. I know that a lot of it comes from the hands of the people who are supposed to protect the vulnerable, and not exploit them. I have seen it my entire life. I have experienced it firsthand, when I was just a scrappy little girl on the streets of Vacuo. So, I do know."

Raven stared at the woman across from her, her throat growing tight.

"I saw all these people failing to uphold the promises they made. I saw the corruption, the hate, the guilt…the shame. But I also saw the people who, in the face of all that rottenness, did their best. Who stood up to the bullshit, and fought for change. They were never very popular, but they were real and gods, did I want to be like them."

Raven glanced away, her eyes burning. She watched the scenery passing below.

"The world does not belong to people like Regalia. It doesn't belong to the traffickers, baiters, or Settlements that enable them. It does not belong to the Grimm. It has, and always will, belong to the people who strive to punch upwards, and not down."

Raven made herself look away from the window. Her arm and chest still hurt, but less so.

"And which way does Ozpin punch, do you think?" Raven asked.

"To be honest? That is something I'm still trying to figure out for myself," Professor tipped her chin. "I do know, though, that he bears a responsibility that no one in their right mind would envy. However, I recognize why it is hard to trust him. He doesn't make it very easy."

Raven hesitated, her good hand messing with the feathers on her hip. She had been surprised that Regalia knew the significance of them; it meant that the King's Service was either studying the cultures of the free people, or they were dragging that information out of their 'unauthorized' captives.

_Something has to be done about that. We have to get our people out of there._

"I don't…," Raven paused, swallowing. "I don't want Ozpin to know about my abilities, because I believe he will attempt to control them. I believe, and so do many others, that he does not like magic users who do not directly benefit him; because they are a threat to his power."

Professor Arc leaned back, frowning pensively. It was nearly a minute before she spoke again.

"I can see how it could look that way from the outside," Arc nodded after a moment. "The…group that we belong to works to protect particularly powerful magic users from an outside influence that would do that exact thing."

"You mean the witch?" Raven drawled.

It was now Arc's turn to look surprised.

"Yes. How much do you know about that?"

"I know that she's the source of the corruption, whatever that means," Raven fought to keep from fidgeting. "And I know that the warlock is trying to oppose her, but really he's just making her job easier."

"You've been talking to Set, I see," Arc sighed, rubbing her brow.

Raven frowned, feeling a little defensive. It's not like she sought the guy out or something; he was a magical cat man that could manifest in people's dreams and turn into a giant Grimm that couldn't really die.

"Alright," Professor Arc let her hand fall, meeting her eyes. "I won't tell Ozpin about your abilities. It isn't my place to do so, any ways. But I won't lie, Raven. The fact that you have popped up on the King's Service's radar is going to make it difficult to keep that from him."

_Fair enough_.

"About the fucking King's Service," Raven bristled, changing the subject. "Just who the hell are they? And why do they think they can kidnap people for being skinchangers? That can't actually be on the up and up, can it?"

"It isn't," Arc droned. "Previously, the King's Service came into existence as a response to Witchfingers. The King's of Vale are not…fond of Witchfingers, as you might guess, considering their history. So, the Service was created to keep an eye on the King's assets and to protect the royal family at all costs while maintaining a guise of secrecy. They've branched out over the past century and have been working with other taskforces across Remnant. However, within the last decade or so, the existence of skinchangers was revealed to the current King. And he has made it his mission to 'recruit' them, by any means."

"He's abducting them from the tribes of Saunus," Raven growled. "He is trying to steal children from their families and turn them into his personal slave soldiers! Why is nobody doing anything about this?!"

"We've been trying, actually, but it is devilishly complicated," Arc grimaced. "Considering skinchangers don't officially exist, it would be like accusing the King of gang-pressing ghosts into being his personal butlers – no one with the means to check him directly believes in skinchangers. And we have to be careful just whom we inform of their existence, because of who they could be working for. If **she **found out there was a squad of soldier skinchangers with access to the royal family and government secrets, it would be a catastrophe for Vale and Remnant as a whole."

Raven glared, her hands balling into fists.

"So we do nothing and let them keep at it? Because of the 'greater good' and all that bullshit?"

"Of course not," Arc smiled brightly. "We're just going to have to get help from people who are not bound up by playing by his rules. The laws of the Kingdom are supposed to protect and serve the people, and currently, the laws are failing to do so. So, as servants of the people, we are honor bound to break them."

Raven paused, the gears turning as she realized what Arc was suggesting; her mouth pulled into a devious smile.

"I want you to contact your mother once we get back; and to arrange a meeting where we can discuss these factors."

Raven smirked, playing with the Nevermore feathers.

"I think I can manage that."

…

Raven finally arrived at the dorm room, after swinging by medical to get more aura boosters, pain killers and a scolding from Amosa. The school nurse had fortunately not asked her many questions, though he had been presented by a heap of Vacuoan chow as a peace offering; Arc had been benevolent enough to bequeath Raven with several Styrofoam boxes full, though how she had acquired it was a bit of a mystery.

When Raven opened the door to their room with her good hand, she had been promptly accosted by her teammates and pulled inside to be inspected. Summer had begun interrogating her about the fight and fussing over her injuries, while Taiyang began ranting about the outrageous behavior of so called police officers. Qrow was the only one to keep his cool, though part of that was due to him babysitting the squad of Macmillan kids, whom he had made a box fort for in the corner of the room. The kids seemed utterly shocked that Raven had faced off against the falcon woman and not disappeared herself.

"I love you, and I am so very friggin pissed this happened," Summer kept muttering as she checked Raven over for the tenth time.

"You've said," Raven sighed. Summer's ears were flat against her head. Raven did not like upsetting them like this; but she also didn't know how to really fix it.

"How the fuck is a cop going to pull shit like this!" Taiyang raged, pacing anxiously. "They didn't identify themselves, they acted so irresponsibly, they HURT people-"

"Cops do shit like this all the time, bro," Qrow drawled from the floor. He had a box of crayons out and was helping Maisy and her brothers decorate the boxes. Ingrid was the only one not participating and was watching Raven and Summer calculatingly.

"What- not like this!?" Taiyang spun. "I have family that are cops, and they would **never** do something like that-"

"Tai, buddy," Qrow raised his hands. "Then they are the exception. Because most of them? Most are bastards, straight out of bastard-town."

Taiyang scowled.

"That doesn't –"

"They weren't just cops," Raven interrupted to prevent an argument. "They're part of a secret service that works solely for the King. Apparently to counter the threat of the Witchfingers."

Summer met her eyes, distress written across her face. Raven wanted to kiss her.

"How is jumping innocent people related to countering rogue Witchfingers?" Taiyang exclaimed, tossing his hands.

"It isn't," Summer frowned.

Raven glanced around the room, leaning against the wall and trying to relax.

"According to Arc, the King found out about skinchangers and has been using their secrecy against them, by forcefully abducting them as a recruitment scheme," Raven drawled. "And she and Ozpin's gang have had their hands tied in preventing this, because they don't want the wrong people to find out about an elite squad of magical soldiers. Aka, the same people who want to get their hands on the Maidens."

"And the aetheri," Summer murmured, sitting on Raven's bed besides her. She had woven her fingers around Raven's good hand, and her knuckles were white.

"Exactly."

_And if the King was willing to gang-press skinchangers, then whose to say he wouldn't also do the same to the aetheri or Maidens if he knew of them?_

"Sooo, you told Arc everything after she saved your bacon?" Qrow asked, looking her way.

"Not everything, but a lot. And she agreed to not mention our status to Ozpin. Do you think I shouldn't have?" Raven asked.

"Nah. I think it was the right call, I mean. I told her a good bit while I was freaking out anyways," Qrow scratching his head, handing a crayon to Maizy. "What else did she say?"

"She wants me to set up a meeting with the Morrigan to discuss a rescue mission," Raven replied.

The room fell silent. Raven smiled. Qrow started laughing.

"Ohhh hahahaha! This gonna be great!"

"Dude," Taiyang muttered. "Ok, wait, does she know your mom? Is that a thing?"

Raven shrugged with her good shoulder.

"They probably met when she was either at school, or during their careers. She seemed to know Nwyfre wouldn't be too miffed about the law, anyways, but that's not too hard of a deduction."

Summer's ears had flipped up, her face lighting up.

"And if this works, we can get their parents back!"

The Macmillan half-pints looked up in adorable unison, their faces still a bit red from having baths earlier.

"Really?" chirped Connor. "You think they're alive?"

Raven felt a twinge in her chest; she didn't want to get their hopes up and then not be able to deliver on a promise.

"There's a good chance," Qrow admitted, turning to them kindly. "Getting them back isn't gonna be easy, though, kiddos. There will be a lot of shit that could go wrong. But we're gonna try."

Maisy popped to her feet.

"Castle raid!" she exclaimed, throwing her fists in the air. "Castle raid, castle raid, castle raid!"

Ingrid sighed, shaking her little head.

"Maisy, people can't raid a castle."

"How do you know!?"

"Because they can't!" Ingrid shouted. "It's full of guards, and Dust, and weapons, and our parents are as good as dead!"

The room fell silent again; Ingrid was shaking, and there were tears in her eyes.

"They're gone, Maisy," Ingrid insisted. Her little sister's eyes had widened and teared up as well. "They're gone and aren't coming back. These people just want you to feel better, but it's a lie."

Maisy was shaking her head rapidly, wiping her nose.

"Some things you can't do anything about."

Raven slid off the bed with a little difficulty and stood up. Ingrid glared tearfully at Raven as her siblings sniffled.

"Here," Raven took her sword and swiped. A vortex opened in the middle of the room, the bond responding with immediate warmth. "I want you guys to meet some people."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes**: Happy Volume 7 kids. This update is brought to you by hype and the joy of DD214. *Laughs in civilian* I'm free, bitches.

**Music Choices**: Nightmare by Halsey and Santa Monica by Everclear

Eclipse

Chapter 16

The Dangerous Art of Punching Upwards Part II

_Twenty-five years before STRQ…._

"Fre? Psst! Fre!?"

Joan ducked through the warehouse, climbing over scattered cargo boxes and grumbling under her breath. It wasn't her favorite place to spend the night, but their options had been dwindling lately. Still, it had been better than the alternatives.

It wasn't warm in the warehouse, and her skinny arms were covered in goosebumps. Outside, the merchants and vendors that populated the winding streets of the souq were beginning to wake and attend to business as usual. She could already smell the beginnings of breakfast carried by the dry air wafting though the broken windows above. Her stomach growled, loudly.

Joan paused, listening intently as something clinked in the darkness. The warehouse was abandoned, but that didn't mean it was completely safe; the different factions that made up the criminal elements of Vacuo often laid claim to anything that sat vacant too long, turning it into quarters for their members, smuggler's hides, and thief dens. This one had been spared that attention so far.

She narrowed her eyes, squinting through the shadows. After a few moments of feeling watched, she looked up.

She didn't spot her friend immediately, until she heard the slightest snicker and zeroed in on the shadow laid out on the shipping container to her left. Joan huffed, putting her hands on her hips as she stared up at her.

"Yell _louder_ why don't you?" her friend grinned down at her, like a well-fed street cat. "Oh no, Nwyfre! Where are you?!"

"Very funny, Fre, you're soooo clever," Joan rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. "Hurry up! It's time to eat!"

Nwyfre smiled, slipping off the container and dropping next to her quietly, like liquid shadow. The other girl could move without making a sound, a feat that Joan had never been able to fully manage, no matter how many years of practice she gained on the streets.

"Yea, I know," Nwyfre smirked, before flashing a handful of several hundred lien at her. "Let's get something good for a change, huh? I'm starving."

Joan's mouth dropped.

"Woa, where'd you get all that?!"

Nwyfre shrugged, hiding a laugh as Joan ribbed her playfully.

"What? I found it," Nwyfre smirked, sliding it into her boot for safe keeping.

Joan paused, eying her friend skeptically. She had been wondering where she'd gotten to in the middle of the night.

"You haven't been running 'errands' again for the Talon again, have you?" Joan frowned, pushing shaggy blonde hair from her eyes.

Nwyfre rolled her eyes, groaning aloud.

"Oh my gods, Jo, no."

Joan's eyes narrowed as she gave her friend her best glare. Nwyfre's own flat gaze met her eyes evenly.

"You're lying," Joan huffed again, folding her arms.

"No, I'm nooot, ok," Nwyfre tugged irritably at her braids. "I didn't do anything for the Talon! I just picked a few pockets and got lucky. The merchants purses were little fatter than average."

Joan grimaced. Nwyfre made a face back at her.

"Why are you bothering to lie to me anyways? You obviously don't care what I think," Joan shook her head. "Keep your blood money."

"Ugh, why are you like this!" Nwyfre pulled at her braids, eyes widening with frustration. "Look, pride isn't going to keep you _fed_, Joan! And it's not fucking blood money, you snobby-"

"I've been feeding myself for a long time, Fre, so you can go sit on that one," Joan declared, waving her off.

"That's not what I'm saying, _look_ damnit!" Nwfyre skirted in front of her, holding her hands out. "Things are getting rougher out here, ok?! And we're getting older, people aren't going to just keep giving us handouts because they feel bad for us! We need a faction if we're going to survive!"

Joan scowled, folding her arms. Her chest felt heavy. She knew the point her friend was trying to make, but she couldn't align herself with a group of people like the Talon. They were cruel. They didn't care who they hurt or how they got what they wanted; they were just thugs who terrorized the slice of Vacuo that they'd unfairly laid claim to.

"But why them, Fre?" Joan protested. "You say things are getting rougher, but they're the reason why! Everyone is terrified of them! If we need a faction, then there are better options!"

"Oh, yea sure, better options," Nwyfre tapped her chin facetiously. "Let me see! There's the sex traffickers! Oh, and then there's the Grimm baiters, and then there's the second rate losers that are all scared to death of the Talon – oh wait! Maybe, the Talon _is_ the best option, because they aren't pedos AND they aren't pussies."

Joan stared at her friend.

"I'm not talking about a bunch of scruffy gangs," Joan said dryly, pulling a crumpled pamphlet out of her pocket. "You want to talk about the strongest faction? What about them?"

She shoved the paper into her friend's hand, who looked at it blankly before her lip pulled in disdain.

"Huntsmen? Really?" Nwyfre met her eyes again. "You want to lecture me about the Talon? And then you're going to turn around and suggest we what? Become one of these guys?"

_A fair criticism, perhaps._

"Look, any group in Vacuo isn't going to be ideal," Joan insisted, pointing at the schools and Kingdom's listed. "But what about one of these other schools? We could get out of here! Get a roof over our heads, learn some skills! And maybe, if we're lucky, do something that actually matters."

Nwyfre stared at her in disbelief.

"Jo. Hunters are grifters that are just as bad as the Talon, no matter where they're at. Hell, they're worse. They don't _help_ people, they take advantage of them. The only difference is that the law is on their side."

"I've met good Hunters," Joan shook her head. "I know they exist. And maybe they are mostly rotten here? But that doesn't mean they are everywhere else. However, I do know for a fact that running little 'errands' for the Talon isn't going to help you or anyone else in the long run. You're better than them, Nwyfre-"

"How the fuck am I 'better' than them?" Nwyfre scoffed angrily, folding her arms. "First of all, if you want to help other people, then you have to be able to help yourself first! And right now, that is something that is getting increasingly harder to fucking do! Aligning with the people who currently hold the most power is the most logical choice!"

_Oooh, I'm Nwyfre, I'm pragmatic and mean – she is so full of it._

"Wow, that is some impressive mental gymnastics, I'll give you that; but let's be real here for a moment," Joan droned, bemused. "The people with the most social power are the one's on the right side of the law. Meaning the Hunters. You aren't doing this out some intrinsic need to be rational, or you would jump at the chance to pursue _this_ over working with a bunch of outlaws and murderers."

"Why do you hate them?! Because they what? Break the laws? The laws are made up, Joan!" Nwyfre shouted, gesturing sharply. "The laws are not here to help you! The people who made them don't actually give a shit about them, either! They exist to keep people like us from taking the things that they stole from everyone else in the first place!"

"I don't hate them because of the stupid laws! I hate them because they fucking murdered Grey!" Joan balled her fists, baring her teeth back. Nwyfre flinched. "Do you remember that!? NO!? He was ten years old, Fre! He was just a little boy! And they murdered him and hung his body in the street for all to see! Because he what? _Crossed them somehow!?_ Tell me that that is ok with you, and I'll buy this complete dung you are trying to sell!"

Nwyfre opened her mouth and shut it, grinding her teeth in frustration.

"You know it isn't," Joan shook her head. "You know that's wrong. And I know that you're scared of them, Nwyfre, but joining them isn't going to fix things."

Nwyfre blinked in shock, before her face changed in a flash, turning malicious.

"I am **not** fucking scared of them," Nwyfre hissed.

"Well then you're an idiot, because you should be," Joan proclaimed. "I know I am. But I'm not going to play their stupid games just because I'm scared. And if you want to be a part of all that, then I can't make you change your mind. But I want no part."

Nwyfre promptly snarled and stalked off, shoving her hands in her pants pockets as she slunk between the boxes.

"Fine! Screw you too, then!"

Joan winced, sighing heavily as she rubbed her brow in regret.

_That….could of have gone a lot better. _

...

Joan moved through the crowds, her long, faded brown coat concealing her shabby armor and the aged sword at her hip. Despite the aura of fear hanging over the market district there were still swarms of people out and about, shoving, yelling, buying and selling. A thousand scents clung to them and the dust ridden air, the heady perfume of the souqs of Vacuo.

She was so hungry she felt numb, and part of her deeply regretted rejecting her friend's offer to buy a hot meal. However, she hadn't wanted to encourage her; because if she kept working for the Talon, then Joan didn't want to know exactly what or who Nwyfre would turn into.

Nwyfre was Joan's oldest friend and ally in the cut-throat landscape that was Vacuo's drifter population. They had met as a couple of knobby kneed orphans in the thieving den that had scooped them off the streets. Joan had been five. Nwyfre had been around the same age. Joan didn't even remember her parents, but she remembered her. The other girl had always been a part of her life, and had always embodied the values of their circumstances much better than Joan had ever managed.

Joan had never really managed to weave into the fabric of Vacuo's underbelly with any sense of grace or pragmaticism. Even as a child, she had been the den's troublemaker, largely because she always stood up to their so-called caretakers. Namely a couple that the kids had fearfully called 'the Wests'.

The Wests were a vile man and woman in their fifties who had been charged wrangling the street kids, refusing them shelter if they didn't bring back enough ill-gotten lien or proved themselves useful to the people who claimed to care for them. The Wests had used every tactic in the book to manipulate them, from physical abuse to emotional. Nothing was off limits to those people, and they picked favorites to make the other orphans jealous and to make that child more dependent upon them; usually the meanest and strongest of the lot. One of those favorites had been Nwyfre.

Nwyfre hadn't been what Joan would have classified as a bully, but she had certainly terrified the other kids. Rumors abounded about her, whispered behind dust covered palms and over meagre bowls at dinner time. Part of this was due to the fact that she had radiated an intensity that a child should not possess, and had even frightened some of the hardened older kids with the things she said and did. She'd liked frightening them, in fact. She had thought that that was very funny, though she never actually laughed.

However, Nwyfre had distinguished herself from the other budding sociopaths by randomly assisting kids that could not directly benefit her. She would take care of the outliers, like Joan, or the sickly kids who struggled to keep up. In fact, Nwyfre had been the first to extend the proverbial olive branch one rainy day when Joan had been locked out of the den for mouthing off to the Wests again. Instead of leaving her outside in the suck, the other girl had snuck her inside and hid her under her cot until the morning. That had been the beginning of their bizarre friendship, and eventually led to the day where they both escaped the den to live on their own.

Joan was pulled from her musings when she noticed a merchant in the crowds before her, a loud, extravagantly dressed man clearly from out of town. He was making brazen observations about the local 'color', striding pompously after his tour guide who was, just as obviously, leading him into a set up. The tour guide was dressed conservatively, lacking the merchant's flair and proclaimed wealth, but he moved like a street predator as he wove liquidly through the crowds. Other members of the more observant Vacuo population were watching the pair with blatant amusement. The out of towner was beaming away, completely out of touch with the danger he was in.

Joan sighed, pulling up to a stand to pretend to look at the fake gold watches proudly displayed in the morning sun. A familiar looking faunus man tending the stall glanced at her, glanced at the out of towner, smirked and shook his head. Joan rolled her eyes and he laughed, still shaking his head at her. People thought she was a bit of a nut in this neighborhood.

Huffing, she slunk after the merchant and his tour guide, who turned down one of the souq's alleys where one did not go without a well-armed posse. Joan stuck her head around the corner, spotting the merchant's cerulean blue traveler's cloak instantly. Several other street wolves sulking in the shadows were sniffing towards the mark, their faces gleaming with hostility.

They met Joan's eyes and she gave them her best glare; one sneered and made a lewd gesture at her, while the others ribbed him and began to slink away. Joan smirked as they tucked tail and disappeared. Having a reputation as the local nut was occasionally useful.

After a breath, she trailed after the merry merchant and his guide. The side street was cramped with impromptu shops, carts and wares. It was a maze that was easy to get lost in unless you'd grown up there; streets branched off like tributaries, stairs suddenly appeared in shadowed alcoves leading to hidden dens and rooms where a person could buy anything. Joan kept a peripheral eye on her surroundings, following after the brazen voice of the man with too much money and too little sense.

A figure melted out of a side street ahead of her and she tensed, watching it as she ducked up against the brick wall to her right. A lizard faunus with a long red tail was following the merchant and his tour guide, a glint of steel shimmering in his hand. Joan watched as the faunus stalked on silent boots after the pair. She brushed her fingers over the hilt of her sword, considering her options.

There was the tour guide, there was this joker, and there was probably someone else a little further along. They would rob the merchant, and if he put up too much of a fuss, slit his throat and tuck his body into one of the hundreds of hidden alcoves where it would stay for too long. She didn't know who these men worked for, but she'd bet Dust that it was likely the Talon considering where they were. If she interfered, and the men got away, that would make her a target; not that she sort of wasn't already.

Suddenly, the merchant's voice came up short and Joan narrowed her eyes. Aura pulsed beneath her skin as she called on it automatically, and for a moment, she forgot how hungry she was; she forgot that she was tired, that she was sad about fighting with her best friend, and that she was scared. All she felt, all she knew, was an incredible, mounting fury; and in that moment, she forgot about doing the so-called logical thing.

Joan strode around the corner, and clapped eyes on the men threatening the merchant. The man was holding his hands up, eyes wide as the lizard faunus held the point of his knife under his chin.

"Please, just take it, I-"

"Ooh pwease take my lien – shut up," snarled the faunus, punching him in the stomach. "Giles, get his watch."

"Hey assholes!" Joan barked. "Take a fucking hike!"

The alleyway stilled, as the three thugs looked up in disbelief. They stared at her, before the tour guide's face lit up in amusement.

"Well well, if it isn't Vacuo's littlest paladin!" he laughed, his smile dangerous. "Boys, I guess we are done for! Better skip on home, eh?"

Joan drew her sword calmly as the muggers giggled in hilarity; one of them shoved the merchant to ground, who let out a pained yelp.

"Oooh what are ya gonna do, little girl? Spank me with your shiny toy?!" guffawed 'Giles'. "Get out of here, brat! Nobody likes a snitch!"

Joan focused on the Dust infused blade he was twirling between his fingers and grinned dangerously, causing him to pause; she focused her Semblance, feeling the object at a distance, grasped it and mentally pulled. The dagger swept out of his hand, cutting his fingers in the process before shooting at her; she caught the blade hilt first in her left hand.

"Nobody likes a man with a weak grip either," Joan quipped at him as he cursed, stowing his dagger in her belt. The 'tour guide' whistled, his face lighting up in wry delight.

"She's right, Giles, nobody likes that very much," tour guide laughed as Giles tried to stem the blood flowing from his fingers. "Oh quit fussing you big baby, it's a scratch – kill her, and have it done with."

"You're gonna pay for that, bitch," hissed the lizard faunus as he suddenly blurred towards her, activating his Semblance. Joan could feel his body's mass even as he diffused into smoke, darting past her. She parried instinctively and punched him in the gut as he materialized to strike at her.

The faunus wheezed, orange eyes bugging comically as Joan poured aura into her Semblance, mentally grasping him in an iron fist. After a brief, crushing pause, she flung him down the alley, and he rag-dolled into a stand covered in blown glass trinkets. Joan didn't pause to watch, spinning low as 'Giles' came in swinging manically.

Giles apparently had no shortage of knives, as he wielded two short, vicious blades in a flurry as he tried to get under Joan's guard. Joan deflected several strikes before taking a slash across her aura, right next to her throat. Giles had apparently taken it rather personally that she had insulted his grip.

"Cheating, bloody harlot I'll skin you!"

"Not like that you won't!" Joan declared and kicked his exposed knee. A satisfying crack filled the air, and Giles yelped, stumbling. Joan brought the hilt of her sword crashing into his temple. He fell like a sack of flour as Joan spun her sword, parrying a bullet that the tour guide had fired her way. He sneered at her, unafraid.

"You know, this has been fun kid. But I really have lost my patience," tour guide said.

The merchant had scrabbled to his feet and was trying to make a break for it, stumbling frantically; tour guide aimed his pistol lazily behind him and fired off a shot before Joan could so much as shout. However, a shadow rushed out of an alcove and deflected the Dust round, which exploded against the grey brick of the building to their right. Familiar green swords twirled in the dark as the figure stalked towards tour guide menacingly.

"Oh?" he smirked. "Is that how it is now, Nwyfre?"

Nwyfre stayed silent, sneering at tour guide's raised pistol.

"Tch. Wormy little coward," tour guide scoffed and shot at her as Joan charged him with a shout.

The bullet hit its mark and Joan skidded to a stop in horror, before realizing what had happened. The duplicate faded, as the real Nwyfre reappeared and buried a katana into the meat of tour guide's stomach, protruding from his back. Joan stared with wide eyes as tour guide mouthed in blank shock, staring into Nwyfre's face as she sullenly placed a boot on his chest and pulled her sword out. His body slumped to the ground, and the other girl didn't give him another look as she wiped the blood off.

"We need to go. Right now," Nwyfre turned around, zeroing in on the flabbergasted merchant.

Joan stared at the puddle spreading across the cobbles, the hairs of her neck standing on end.

"Dust, Fre, who was he?"

"A Talon officer," Nwyfre grunted over her shoulder as she approached the merchant.

_Oh. Oh shit. _

"I – thank you?" he offered hopefully. "You saved my life, I'm, please, whatever you want, I can get it for you!"

"Where are you from?" Nwyfre asked him, sheathing her swords.

"V-Vale?"

"Did you fly here privately?"

"I- yes, my company's airship-"

"Then get us a ride to Vale. Immediately," Nwyfre insisted, eyes jumping around the confines of the souq's alley.

The merchant nodded and babbled as Nwyfre led the way out of the dark alley, Joan trailing after them in a state of shellshock. They'd killed a Talon officer. There was no way there hadn't been witnesses, either; and now they were on the run, fleeing to a foreign Kingdom before they wound up dead in an alcove themselves.

"Holy shit," Joan murmured.

_It's like the damn den all over again…._

...

Nwyfre's fingers drummed a heartbeat on the armrest of the airship, staring out the window at the clouds passing peacefully below them. She had never ridden in an airship before. She had never even been more than ten stories off the ground in her life and had up until this moment refused to entertain the idea of doing so; because she had always been terrified of heights. To be fair, she had always been terrified of a lot of things; but heights was near the top of the list.

She glanced up at the peacefully snoozing figure across from her, her lip twitching in bemusement. Here she was stewing in anxiety and her daft best friend was completely laid out, unconcerned whatsoever that they had essentially set fire to their previous life and were now thousands of feet in the air flying into the unknown. She was honestly more than a little jealous that Joan could do that; but that was nothing new.

Nwyfre shook her head and turned back to the window. The man they had saved was extremely generous, and honestly, probably a little intimidated by them. However, he had promptly organized his stooges and pulled out of Vacuo within a few hours at most. Nwyfre only hoped that it was a fast enough response. The Talon had long claws, after-all. Nwyfre snorted ruefully through her nose.

_I could have run this fucking city…_

It had, probably, been a bit of a pipe dream. However, the Talon had been more than a little interested in recruiting her; and Nwyfre had definitely encouraged their courtship over the past several months, though she'd played hard to get. Advancement rates had been high, particularly for those with little conscious and enough ambition to claw their way up the ranks. Business was booming after all, and a power vacuum had been left by the collapse of the previous cartel. If Nwyfre had gotten serious, she could have quickly made a name for herself in the organization. One of their youngest officers had been fourteen at most after all, and she had only been an official member for a few months.

Nwyfre sighed, pulling her gaze from the dizzying void outside her window. Joan muttered something incoherent, her foot kicking as she frowned in her sleep. Joan was sixteen now. Nwyfre estimated that she was probably seventeen herself, but who could honestly tell.

She replayed the moments in the souq in her mind, studying the various angles and wondering if she could have played things differently; but off course, she couldn't have. One moment she was playing lookout for Oliver and his merry band of miscreants, pretending to not be sulking. The next, her dumbass friend was challenging them to a duel in the middle of Talon territory and basically committing herself to a suicide run for the sake a goofy mark who could lose a few lien and not even feel it.

Said dumbass had insulted her over her life choices not even five hours earlier, declaring her generosity was not generosity, but in fact 'blood money'. Despite this, things had proceeded in predictable fashion, and Nwyfre had irreverently thrown away any chance she'd had at becoming a prominent figure in Vacuo's vast, powerful underground.

Nwyfre stared in bewilderment at her oldest friend, briefly wondering how in the gods green world they'd ever teamed up in the first place. Nwyfre had always been the one to play her cards right, to play the game and play to win. She showed people what they wanted to see, and then promptly stabbed them in the back while they gloated over her. The world was run by cruel people, and loathe it as much as she did, she had told herself repeatedly that she accepted it; more than accepted it, she would play their game and rise above them, leaving them in the ashes of her wake.

Meanwhile, Joan did not play the game, ever. Joan hated the game. She'd always despised it, and railed against the worst perpetrators with a shining, impetuous rage that Nwyfre had never seen embodied in anyone before or since; and she inspired a similar since of righteous indignation in Nwyfre herself, like a carrier of some air-born brain fever that turned the hapless passersby into burgeoning revolutionaries.

The first time Nwyfre had even noticed Joan was in the midst of one of these furious declarations of injustice. Joan had been five. Nwyfre had, probably, been six. The perpetrators had been the Wests, the mealy eyed weasels that had been their abusers and caretakers a decade ago in a den in one of the worst slums Vacuo possessed in its extensive collection of terrible slums.

The Wests had refused to feed a little boy who had not picked any pockets or earned his keep for the day, as was tradition. Nwyfre and the other high earners had been watching this with some amusement as they tormented the boy, mocking him before his peers. But then, a very loud, very blonde little scrap of a nobody had marched right up to them and told them they were, in fact, vile.

No one could believe it. Nwyfre had watched in sheer amazement as Mrs. West cuffed the blonde, insulting and deriding her for stepping out of line and threatening to let her sleep outside as well. But instead of being cowed by this, as every other sane child in the vicinity would have been, the little blonde had puffed up, wiped her bloody nose, and declared that Mrs. West was nothing but an insufferable, greedy cow; and, in a moment of mad enlightenment, Nwyfre had genuinely laughed, for the first time in her short terrible life.

Everyone had stared in horror as Nwyfre cracked up, tears running from her eyes as she howled with mirth, even as she proceeded to completely get her ass beat; and again, for the first time, even as she endured a vicious beating, Nwyfre had not been afraid. She had both witnessed and been blessed by the prophet of madness, and lo, her name was Joan Arc and she would **not abide** to be terrorized by cruel adults, murderers, gangsters nor vile cretins of any sort.

Any chance of a standard, miserable life as a street urchin or street wolf Nwyfre had had up until that moment had promptly been ruined; and as she stared at her mad, dumb sleeping prophet of justice, Nwyfre realized that she was completely glad of that. Because in her gut, she had always known, that Joan was completely right; she was just much braver than anybody else, including herself.

The airship shook, and Nwyfre tensed immediately, glancing about her. However, the ship adjusted to the turbulence, climbing even higher into the clouds; carrying both herself and the slumbering mad woman into the future.

...

Nwyfre stared at the towers of Beacon, as if studying a mirage in the wastelands. All around her, rich, well fed children who for some bizarre reason thought they should slay monsters, darted and laughed with their friends. Nwyfre couldn't wrap her head around it.

_These people think they can be Hunters? They look like Grimm bait._

Besides her, Joan was gaping in awe at the architecture, starry eyed. Joan had always been a sucker for tall buildings, considering Vacuo had a grand total of three. Nwyfre had always steered far away from them, with the single-minded devotion of a religious adept.

"Wow," Joan finally said, hefting her new, humble shield awkwardly. She had purchased it in Vale, with the last of their lien.

Nwyfre nodded.

"Well. We're here I guess," Joan smiled.

"Yep," Nwyfre nodded again.

"So, where do you think we go?" Joan peered around, trying to get a since of direction.

Nwyfre pointed succinctly at the building with the most people milling about. Joan glanced at her, smiling hesitantly; Nwyfre smirked, rolled her eyes, and waved her on.

"Well come on then, chicken shit."

"Oh, you are so full it!" scoffed Joan, jogging after her.

"Not full of chicken shit, at least."

"I beg to differ!"

_I beg to differ, indeed…_

...

_Twenty-five years later…._

The crack of Raven's portal had woken her immediately, and Nwyfre sat up, instantly alert as she observed the red and black vortex spinning in the twilight. Besides her, Ciara was stirring in her sleep, and would likely wake in a moment. Nwyfre spared her paramour a brief, fond glance before slipping out of their bed and pulling on pants; her swords were within reach, but she did not grasp for them as she waited, feeling a little uncertain.

Raven and Qrow had just started their new semester at Beacon. Nwyfre hadn't exactly expected them to reach out so soon, but it wasn't an unpleasant surprise. Raven's Semblance would make visiting the twins in person a snap, and Ciara had been quite excited about this, considering she had been pining for them since they had left the nest over a year ago.

After a few moments, a familiar dark head poked through the portal, crimson eyes finding her own in the tent's half-light.

"Hey mom," Raven started, clearly awkward. Nwyfre smiled at her.

"Hi," Nwyfre chuckled. "You can come in, we're dressed."

"Ok," Raven actually fidgeted, still half-way in the portal. "Um. So. There's some things we need to talk about?"

Nwyfre's eyebrows raised, before she drifted over to one of the fur rugs by the table near the bed. She sat down easily, gesturing to the low table as Raven hesitated to enter the tent.

"What happened?" Nwyfre drawled. "Come in already, you making _me _awkward now."

Raven huffed, an automatic response more than anything, before stepping fully into the tent. Nwyfre eyed her daughter, watching her body language which radiated anxiety. In the bed, Ciara rolled over before sitting up, rubbing sleep quickly from her eyes.

"Raven?" Ciara asked. "What is it?"

"Hi, ah. We've run into some…issues. That we think the tribes need to be made aware of," Raven started, her voice becoming more confident. Their daughter moved over to the table, taking a seat as Ciara hopped out of bed, wrapping her robe around herself.

"Issues?" Nwyfre droned.

"Yes," Raven nodded, her face serious.

_She's always so serious. Life's too short to be so young and serious all the time._

"Such as?" Ciara shuffled over to them. "Here, do you want some tea love?"

"No, it's ok, thank you," Raven shook her head. "It regards the tribes in Saunus, particularly the skinchangers."

Nwyfre frowned. She had heard rumors, namely that some tribes had lost contact with their allies on the continent over the years; and several prominent members of the free people had outright gone missing in the regions near Vale, all skinchangers. Nwyfre had been meaning to look into it, but her time and resources were limited considering the situation in south Anima.

Ciara shared a worried glance with her.

"What's happening in Saunus?" Ciara asked, tilting her head.

"Well, the short version is that the King of Vale has been abducting skinchangers into his private service," Raven said, leaning forward. Nwyfre felt a cold pit growing in her stomach. "The longer version is that we've accidentally crossed paths with these people, because we tried to take some baby birds to a fucking shelter and got clocked as shifters ourselves-"

"You fucking what?" Nwyfre interrupted.

_It's only been two bloody weeks, how do they get into trouble this fast?_

"Dear, let her finish," Ciara nudged her. "Go on, Raven."

Raven hesitated, glancing between them before continuing.

"Well. Said baby birds were ah. Actually tribe kids? And now we're hiding them in our dorm room. And one of our Professors is assisting us."

Nwyfre stared at her daughter, the pit in her stomach changing to cold fire.

_No_.

"Baby shifters?" Ciara asked, horror bleeding into her voice. "Oh Dust, they must be so scared. Where are their parents?"

"Who did you tell about this?" Nwyfre asked urgently. "Raven, tell me you didn't go to Ozpin?"

"No, no not Ozpin," Raven shook her head. "He might find out, but not because we told him. And the parents are possibly in the castle. We were going to mount a rescue attempt, with some assistance?"

Ciara exhaled slowly.

"That-what? No. Absolutely not," Nwyfre gestured sharply. "This is way over your heads, and I need much more information! Who did you tell?"

Raven played with the feathers at her hip anxiously.

"Well I didn't exactly go out of my way to tell her, she just sort of saved my ass from being arrested and things have escalated-"

_Noooo_

"But she knows you, I think? And she suggested we all work together," Raven looked at her hopefully.

_No, fuck no_

"Do you know a Joan Arc?"

Ciara's eyebrows shot up as she looked Nwyfre's way. The Morrigan paused, before her face settled into a grimace. The cold fire in her gut was spreading to her limbs.

"_Fre? What did you **do**?"_

"Yes. I know a Joan fucking Arc."


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Notes**: Moms are fighting

**Music Choices:** Slingshot by Good Kid, King by The Amazing Devil

Eclipse

Chapter 17

The Dangerous Art of Punching Upwards Part III

After Raven had explained as much as she could to her mothers, Ciara had declared that priority one was ensuring the children got out of the reach of the King's Service, and were properly cared for until their parents and tribe members could be rescued. With some coaxing on STRQ's end, the Macmillan children had been successfully shuttled through Raven's portal to Mistral; and they were now under the watchful eye of Ciara, and the other Branwen skinchangers, until further notice.

Initially, the little Macmillans had been understandably hesitant about all this. However, Ciara had quickly put them at ease, being well versed at wrangling seemingly unmanageable camp kids. The last Raven had seen, before being unceremoniously booted back to Vale to set up a meeting with Arc, the Macmillans had firmly attached themselves to Ciara's hip.

Which brought her to their present situation. Currently, team STRQ was sitting about in various states of anxiety within the walls of their dorm room, waiting. They were not alone.

Professor Arc sat like a stone in one of the room's two functioning chairs, fingers folded in her lap. To be honest, she was handling things with much more grace than her counterpart had, and had not appeared surprised to learn of Nwyfre's less than happy response to her request at a meeting.

In fact, the little Professor had arrived promptly on the hour given, claimed her seat, and had yet to even unfold her legs or even scratch her nose. Thirty minutes had passed since then. At this point, Raven was almost positive that the older woman was actually more anxious than the lot of them combined. However, Raven also possessed the sense to say absolutely nothing about this.

"Fuckin hell, what's taking her so long," Qrow groaned, splayed out on Raven's bunk. "She said five right? She's never fuckin late."

"It isn't a problem," Joan declared. "I imagine she's just scoping the area for any sign of betrayal like a complete paranoid."

Taiyang bit back a surprised laugh as Summer's mouth parted in blatant shock. Raven felt her brow twitch in irritation, but realized that that was perhaps a fair assessment. Her twin cocked his head to stare shrewdly at their Professor. The room remained utterly silent for a heartbeat or two.

"Ya'll got bad blood, huh?"

"No," Joan inspected her fingers. "I don't hold grudges. There are better things to do with one's time."

Raven spotted a brief flicker over by the dressers nearest the window. Her eyes narrowed at the movement.

"Uh huh," Qrow drew out suspiciously. "Ya'll aren't exes are you? Cause I gotta admit, that would make things really, really gods damned weird-"

"Damnit, Qrow," Taiyang sighed, rubbing his face as Summer bit back a giggle. Raven coughed, her cheeks burning slightly as she glared at her brother.

"Whaaat? I know I'm like the 'unofficial team shrink'," Qrow said, making lazy air quotes. "But I'm not equipped to deal with this level of uncomfortable."

The room fell silent again. Raven dryly considered if her twin had some sort of death wish.

"Mr. Branwen?" Joan clipped after a cool pause.

Qrow smirked mischievously.

"Yea, teach?"

"Don't be daft," Joan smirked in return, glancing over the back of her chair. "Also, keep in mind that I can still give you detention."

Qrow shook his head, tossing stray locks out of pale red eyes.

"Nuh uh," he chuckled. "This is neutral territory, Joan. You left your teacher privileges at the door, that's how that works."

Taiyang coughed nervously, glancing between his partner and the Professor.

"Dude?" Tai started. "I don't think that's how that works at all."

Qrow rolled his eyes, mimicking Taiyang under his breath. The blonde retaliated immediately by tossing a pillow across the gap, smacking Qrow in the chest. Qrow responded only with an extended middle finger.

Raven snorted, hiding a smile as she glanced around the room. Another flicker in the corner caught her attention. Nwyfre's aural duplicate manifested for a brief second and gave her a quick nod. Raven noted that she was wearing the Nevermore helm, peaking her curiosity. She hadn't expected that Nwyfre would come to meet with an old acquaintance in her full capacity as both the Morrigan and Branwen chief.

Slipping off her bunk, Raven drew her blade and swiped, focusing on her Semblance's bond. The vortex sprang open, whirling and crackling powerfully before settling into a stable rotation. Joan, to her credit, did not so much as blink. After a few moments, Nwyfre strode through calmly, dressed in full raider garb; without speaking, she circled the room, appraising it through the slits in her helm before finally settling on Arc.

"Nwyfre," Joan said coolly. "Thank you for coming."

"What in the blaze blue fuck have you involved my kids in, Jo?" Nwyfre hissed through the helmet slits. "I'll admit it. You really pissed me off with that little trick with the glyphs last semester, but I managed to let it go. But **this**? Have you lost your damn mind?"

Raven tensed, remembering the incident with the glyph that had interrupted Nwyfre's Semblance connection to herself and Qrow, and prompted her to come to Vale to seek them out in the first place.

_Surely Arc isn't the type, though? _

Joan rolled her eyes imperiously, and Raven fought an instinctive wince.

"I had nothing to do with that and you bloody well know it, Fre."

"No, I do _not _bloody well know it," Nwyfre insisted, pacing like a lion in a cage. "Just like I don't bloody well know you aren't trying to lure me into a trap with this complete dumpster fire of an idea of yours."

"Oh please, I haven't tried to arrest you in years," Joan scoffed, waving her hand. "And if you think I didn't notice that string of reports about your little escapades during Mountain Glenn, then you are not only obtuse, you are the donkey's entire ass."

Team STRQ glanced in unison at the Morrigan, eyes rounding. Nwyfre had finally paused in her pacing, cocking her head.

"Such unfounded accusations. I was absolutely nowhere _near _that _horrible _tragedy."

Summer squeaked in protest, but managed to contain herself; meanwhile, Professor Arc's glare could have frozen fire Dust.

"You do realize that I am the only reason you aren't twiddling your thumbs in maximum security right now, yes?" Arc droned. "Both the BTF and the Witchfingers had factions that wanted to pin that entire fiasco on you-"

"As if any of those apes could actually catch me," Nwyfre hissed. "The BTF is a fucking joke, who do you think you're kidding? I'd eat your smarmy little bootlickers for breakfast!"

"No actually, I imagine you'd ask your pet _Grimm _to do that for you?" Joan smiled coldly. "I wonder, **who **exactly inspired you to enslave monsters to do your dirty work?"

Nwyfre actually snarled, her shoulders tensing as she stepped forward.

"Hey!" Qrow interrupted.

The women looked at him in glaring unison.

"Can you two fucking not?" he rasped, waving to the room in exasperation. "We don't know ya'lls history or trauma or what the fuck ever, and we don't have the time or energy to fucking fumigate that whole mess. Because we have some actual, pressing bullshit going on and are apparently the only ones invested in stopping it. So, either put your baggage aside, or resolve it, but stop flexing on each other in my nice clean safe space, thank you very much!"

Raven sighed tensely through her nose, glancing between her twin and the two so called adults caught in a pissing contest.

"You're right. My apologies, Mr. Branwen," Joan nodded abruptly. "Nwyfre-"

Nwyfre interrupted the other woman with a growl, gesturing sharply to the helm.

"Morrigan. That is my current title, _Professor _. I'd like you to use it."

Joan squinted, rubbing the bridge of her nose in frustration as she exhaled loudly.

"Very well, _Morrigan _. I wanted to talk to you about the situation involving the abduction of tribal skinchangers in the greater Vale area-"

Nwyfre interrupted her again, picking up her pacing once more.

"Oh, but it's _not just _the greater Vale area, is it?" Nwyfre drawled, her tone laced with poison. "It's apparently all of Saunus! And there have even been reports of missing shifters from Menagerie and Mantle as well. We were fool enough to think it was just the work of the witch's forces-"

Raven felt her interests peak and shot her mother a worried look, but Nwyfre moved the conversation along relentlessly.

"-but of fucking course it wasn't. Your friends have been running quite the trafficking gig, it would seem. It's nice to see that the Kingdoms are keeping some traditions alive in these modern times."

"They are **not **my friends," Joan squinted dangerously.

"They're your _colleagues _then, which to you people is the same fucking thing."

"You people – excuse me? You do not get to lecture me about guilt by association! Let alone friendship!"

Raven picked up a bottle of window cleaner from the table besides her, left out from when Summer had been anxiety-cleaning, and sprayed a jet at Professor Arc's pant leg. Joan blinked, her face incredulous, as she stared at her. Nwyfre started chuckling, a sly rumble in her chest, before Raven promptly spritzed her too. Her mother glared at her in shocked betrayal.

"Stop it," Raven insisted firmly. Summer swallowed a snicker behind her hand, silver eyes gleaming impishly, while Taiyang buried his face in Summer's shoulder.

After a moment, Nwyfre huffed sulkily.

"….You're grounded."

"You're grounded," Raven smirked back. "This is my house."

"Yea!" Qrow cracked up, chuckling wickedly. "You're both in time out."

Taiyang looked up from Summer's shoulder, laughing nervously.

"I am so very uncomfortable right now."

"You knooow," Summer started playfully. "I can call my dad? If you two need like a moderator to help you hash out your feelings or something? He's surprisingly good at it."

Nwyfre scoffed, shaking her dreads over her shoulder.

"NO!"

"Absolutely not!" bemoaned Professor Arc.

"I'll do it! I'll freakin call him right now!" Summer waved her scroll menacingly. "No? Huh? Alright then! Be civil, you both agreed to this and you are both supposedly mature ladies."

The supposedly mature ladies looked to be on the brink of revolt. Nwyfre was grumbling a vitriolic string of words under her breath, while Joan simply seemed to wall away any actual feelings she had on the subject behind an impenetrable hard light barrier. Raven studied their body language, the way they were stiffly trying to resist mirroring the other person's movements, the still tender edges of an old betrayal and drew her own conclusion.

"You two were partners weren't you?" Raven drawled wryly. "Once upon a time?"

There was an uncomfortable silence, before Joan sighed again, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Nwyfre said nothing. Qrow started chuckling on the bed, while Summer's fluffy ears flipped up, bouncing a little on Tai's mattress as she held his hand. Taiyang kept staring between the two opposites, face skeptical as he tried to buy the concept.

"We…were yes," Arc admitted, tipping her head towards her. "But that is hardly relevant-"

"Oh no, not relevant at all," Nwyfre spat venomously.

Raven gave them both a long, unimpressed stare.

"It seems a little relevant," Raven hummed skeptically.

"I'm detecting a lot of relevance here, actually. And maybe, just maybe, some….hurt feelings?" Taiyang licked a finger and held it up to the 'wind'. "Yup. Lot of that going on right now."

"Do we need to do trust building exercises?" Summer teased, unable to hide her shit eating grin. "I can get the paintball guns?"

Joan winced slightly, and Summer's ears flicked in recognition, a regretful expression falling over her face. Nwyfre shook her head, her beaded dreads clattering softly over grey and red armor.

"Don't start with me, Milkshake, I'm not in the mood to play nice."

"You'll play nice so long as you're in my friggin room, missy, and that's that," Summer glared back.

Nwyfre hissed through the slits in her helm, and Raven interrupted before the situation turned uglier.

"Let's focus please," Raven said, waving the spray bottle laconically. "Will you two be able to actually work together effectively in this sort of scenario? Or not? Because if not, then we need to come up with a better option, that appropriately utilizes our resources."

Joan had been the one to suggest they work together in the first place, meaning that she at least wanted to believe it was possible; and the fact that Nwyfre had actually bothered to even show up said a lot. There was obviously hope there, on both sides.

However, there was also a lot of pride and hurt involved for both women, and neither of them seemed ready to set that aside yet. Whatever had happened, both clearly held the other as being ultimately responsible; and if they were both waiting on an apology from the other, then they were never going to get anywhere.

"No. And there is no _we _here, kids. I appreciate you telling me about what is going on. I will continue to look into it, and I will have others that I can actually _trust _investigate this as well. But I will be acting separately and would greatly appreciate it if you dropped it and went back to your actual schoolwork. Please," Nwyfre sighed heavily, crossing her arms. "Your Professor here, if she really cares about you, should be able to recognize that involving you in something like this is extremely irresponsible and not in your best interests."

"They're already involved, Fre, whether you like that or not," Professor Arc clipped. "_ Heavily _involved if they've been having conversations with Set and know about the different magical castes. They are also some of the most skilled young Hunters I've ever seen, with fine moral compasses to boot. They can come to their own decisions, with or without our approval."

Raven gave Joan an appreciative glance.

"Our approval? Save it for the fucking choir, Jo!" Nwyfre snapped immediately. "They don't even have their licenses yet! If our positions were reversed, I doubt you'd react so Dust damned well! Imagine, just fucking _imagine _, if I tried to drag your daughters into some hairbrained scheme like this?! You'd call me a _monster _and you know it! Not that you haven't always believed that, you self-righteous fool!"

Joan's face hardened, her body radiating a cold anger even as she folded her hands in her lap.

"You think you can just, what? Snap your fingers and dangle my children's safety in front of my face and I'll come dashing to 'help' you with your little crusade? Like your personal Beowolf, bouncing about your heels? I do all the dirty work and you get to maintain this ridiculous image of yourself as somehow being the _good guy_ in all this?!" Nwyfre stepped forward again, her voice full of fury. "We both know that in the end, that's all you really care about!"

Raven and Qrow shared anxious looks. Neither of them had ever heard Nwyfre sound like this, especially wearing the mantel of the Morrigan.

"I have never thought you were a monster, Fre," Joan said after a quiet pause.

Raven couldn't see her mother's face, but she could hear the sneer in her voice.

"Who's the liar now?"

Joan's face was unreadable marble as she stared at the woman who used to be her partner and probable friend. She took a slow, tired breath, and exhaled.

"I'm sorry."

Raven's brow rose. She couldn't determine who was more surprised.

"You're right. Were our situations reversed, I would be angry, incredibly so," the blonde Huntress admitted. Her voice sounded genuine. "I jumped the gun, and I'm sorry. It wasn't fair of me to put you in this position."

"No, it wasn't," Nwyfre droned. There was the slightest question in her tone, leaving room for Joan to continue.

"I know, and I wasn't trying to. But Fre, there's a reason I wanted to reach out to you on this; and it is because I knew you would give a damn. And when you give a damn, there is a not a force on Remnant that can stop you. There never has been," Joan continued with near gentleness. "And that being said, I…genuinely would like your help; because I know that I cannot do this by myself."

"No shit you can't. It'd be a suicide run," Nwyfre grumbled after an awkward pause. No one was fooled by the fact that she studiously ignored Joan's previous compliment. "Not that that's ever stopped your dumb ass before."

Joan's mouth twitched in a half smile. The Morrigan huffed in irritation.

"Stop smiling. I'm still extremely pissed off at you."

"True, but how is that anything new?"

"Enough," Nwyfre grit out. "Look. Even if I agree to lend a hand, I don't want STRQ involved in this."

Raven winced visibly, giving her mother a hurt look. Nwfyre scoffed.

"Don't look at me like that. You four combined have as much subtlety as a Goliath in a china shop, and for this to work, I need people who can actually infiltrate high security Kingdom prisons without getting caught, destroying something, confronting every person involved or throwing a fucking parade in the midst of it."

The team immediately began to make noises of protest.

"Qrow and I have led plenty of successful raids, that isn't a fair assessment at all," Raven insisted over the chatter.

Joan promptly plugged her ears, whistling to herself as she bobbed her head comically.

"Yea, we can be plenty subtle when we wanna be," Qrow chimed in.

"Oh, absolutely you can! But that's just _you two _, Raven and Qrow the individuals. You are not just 'you two' anymore, you are a Dust-damned collectors set," Nwyfre gestured irritably at Summer and Taiyang.

Taiyang waved back, smiling awkwardly.

"Anywhere you go now, they'll go, and the four of you combined have no subtlety, and no sense. You just don't. How the hells did you manage to stumble upon a conspiracy involving the King of Vale within the last two fucking weeks you've been at school? It sure wasn't by minding your own gods damned business! You four just draw bullshit towards you like the perfect, annoying ass storm and what's more, you possess this delusional hive-think that together, you can fix anything! And it's going to get you all killed, I swear to gods!"

"Mom, come on," Raven groaned. "Not this again."

Nwyfre spun towards her. "Oh, it's this again! You're supposed to be here to _fucking learn _! Not run castle raids with a woman who would gladly see me, your mother and every other free person on the planet behind bars."

"Ok, now that is not true," Joan interrupted, unplugging her ears. "You _know_ that's not true."

"I do not!" Nwyfre retorted. "Did you know that the BTF doesn't discriminate between free tribes and Grimm baiters? They see us as being identical!"

"And can you really blame them?!" Joan exclaimed in mounting exasperation. "The sheer amount of times you've merrily led hordes of Grimm through the streets of Settlements that crossed you is madness! And this isn't about the BTF! I am not here speaking to you as an officer of the force, nor any other executive branch! I am here as a Huntress first and foremost, and as a Huntress it is my duty to put a stop to corrupt practices that hurt the innocent! And if that corruption is coming from the very throne itself, then it is what it is!"

"Oh?!" Nwyfre waved her hand, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "It is, is it?"

She looked about the room, before placing a hand on her hip and cocking her head.

"And just how well has that glorious quest been going for you, little paladin? Been making a lot of headway, have we?"

"It's been very difficult, actually," Joan sniffed, unperturbed. "But at least I don't give up every time I get scared."

Nwyfre shook her head slowly, oozing contempt.

"I didn't stop because I was scared, Jo, you utter Boarbatusk. No matter how hard you try to sell that to yourself."

The women held each other's stares without flinching. Summer glanced at Taiyang, then Raven, before scooting forwards.

"Then why did you?" Summer asked.

Nwyfre's head tilted her way.

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you give up being a Huntress?" Summer asked. "Or a Witchfinger?"

Her tone was not accusatory, merely curious.

"Psh….That's-"

"What, not relevant?" Summer quipped.

Raven glanced at her girlfriend anxiously as Nwyfre exhaled irritably. Joan's eyes gleamed in amusement.

"You know what?" Nwyfre started quietly. Dangerously. "One day, Milkshake, you're gonna figure it out for yourself. But by then? It will probably be too late."

Summer's ears folded back.

"And I pray every fucking day that you don't drag them down with you."

Tai and Qrow both frowned in unison, while Raven's mouth opened, a sharp retort on the tip of her tongue. Nwyfre carried on, her voice echoing slightly behind the Nevermore mask.

"For the record," Nwyfre said. "I think this is all an awful idea. But seeing as you've given me little option, I suppose I will assist. But only, and I mean only, on the condition that we do things my way. This is not negotiable."

Joan hesitated for the briefest of seconds, before she extended a well callused and blade scarred palm.

"Very well."

Nwyfre took it in her own, similarly scarred digits, and shook once.

* * *

**More Notes:** Hey gang, sorry it's been minute. I've had a lot of life changes coming at me fast, like moving across the world, starting school and getting a pupper. But it's all good. Updates might be a little slow for while, but I haven't abandoned this series and have no plans on doing so any time soon. Anyways, thanks a bunch to Sgt Chrysalis, WhatOtherPlanet, and Shockfactor for the beta's on this chapter. If you haven't read their stuff, I highly recommend doing so. Much love, and happy season finale.


	18. Chapter 18

Music Choices: Krigsgaldr by Heilung

Author's Notes: In which Bird mom has no chill.

Eclipse

Chapter 18

The Great and the Good

A good raid takes weeks of planning and legwork. Weeks of sleepless nights and long days where the only thing keeping you going is the tightly drawn wire in the back of your neck, ready to snap free at any moment and send you wheeling. There's a mounting electricity that runs endlessly through your every digit, follicle, and cell. It grows every time you dart past a Settlement's guards and strategize into the early, red eyed morning; as you hunt for every weakness that your enemy might possess, and finally, cathartically, rip that fracture asunder so that you and yours can feast on a bloody, hard won victory. There is nothing on Remnant more satisfying than a good raid.

Bandits, tóría, vagabonds, and úlfsvard; these are just some of the names given to the people of the raid, by those who think they can take and take and take forever, without consequence. A Settlement could practically bleed the surrounding land dry and would still moan and screech in outrage when pricked in retaliation; but such a fit was nothing compared to the horrors a Kingdom was capable of in the name of retribution. There is nothing on Remnant that can throw a more spiteful tantrum than a Kingdom not getting her way.

Kingdoms believe they always have the moral high ground, especially Kingdoms like Vale and Atlas; and if you have ever been on the receiving end of a punishment from a morally superior establishment with power, then you know that there is no reasoning with them. There is only silence, submission and showing them what they want to see; or, waiting. Much like the roaming elder Grimm, the free peoples had all become very good at waiting.

Yet, just as there is nothing more satisfying than a good raid, there is also nothing more desperate nor frightening. The stakes of failure are always terribly high, and the stakes of success carried a blood-price as well. You never invoked a raid half-cocked, or you were doomed to failure and unsustainable loss of life; it typically took weeks to gather enough intel to put together a workable plan, and that was just for the average Settlement.

Raven had never been involved in a raid on a Kingdom prison before; she had never been involved in an attack on a Kingdom period, and neither had Qrow. The Branwen had steered clear of Mistral as often as possible for the last decade, following an attack the Morrigan had coordinated with several other tribes against several Mistrali assets; this attack led to the eventual demise of an entire tribe and vastly increased Hunter activity on the continent. One might consider that a failure; but the fact that any of them had survived Mistral's hunger for vengeance had, in fact, been considered a resounding success. That, in itself, was not only depressing, but showed the imbalance of power between them and the forces they were pitting themselves against.

Needless to say, preparations for something on this scale should take months. However, instead of several weeks dedicated to scouting, strategizing, and hunting for intel, they apparently had a grand total of three days. Nwyfre had, somehow, discovered that the prisoners were being moved in three days to a location outside of the Kingdom. This had already been in the works, but STRQ's fun-filled encounter with the King's Service had seemingly prompted the bastards to speed things along, in case a certain Headmaster or the Witchfingers should come sniffing.

A time schedule of three days would have, in any other circumstance, taken the very suggestion of intervention off the table. Yet, both the Morrigan and Professor Arc had insisted that three days was all they would need; and that by showing their hand by moving their prisoners, the King's Service had made a grave strategic error. The skinchangers would be, for a short amount of time, out in the open; in fact, this was such an obvious error, that the Branwens were entirely convinced it was a trap.

"Why would they move them at all?" Qrow droned suspiciously. Her brother was leaning on both palms, face shadowed in the dim light of their impromptu 'war room'. The war room was actually just the spare library room that Raven had discovered in her first year; they couldn't risk anyone from team ARSN (read: Sigyn) barging into their dorm room unannounced and had sealed the alcove and forgotten floor of the library off using a variety of means.

"Their fuckin' prison is underneath the castle and a butt ton of weapons turrets-" he continued, brow wrinkling. "-steel and granite; and no one else even knows it's fuckin there."

Raven squinted at the blurry photographs laid out before them.

"That we know of," she intoned. "If this really was already in the works, then perhaps things are getting a little too crowded down there to continue to avoid notice? We might not be the only ones close to stumbling across their secrets at this rate."

"That's quite possible," agreed Professor Arc, flipping through the blurry photographs she had acquired through her own connections. "The average castle guardsman and government lackey would be just as much a security threat to their little program as anyone else. They've gotten away with imprisoning and training a handful of skinchangers for this long, but at this point their program has likely outgrown their ability to safely contain. And what's more, if it has grown so dire that they need to move all them outside the walls, then it is only a matter of time before one of _her_ agents notice, if they haven't already."

The memory of a festering dark castle and bubonic black viscosity eating away at a nightmare sky came to mind. Raven swallowed lightly, her neck prickling.

_Who is this witch, that frightens so many factions? Is she like the aetheri woman from Mountain Glenn? How many people are working for her?_

Raven glanced up at her mother, who had been silent for some time.

_And why does she scare the Morrigan so much that she'd risk sending us to Beacon in the first place?_

"All of that may be true," Nwyfre started after a moment, tapping her index finger slowly on the grain of the table. "But there is only one reason that they'd bother escalating their plan to move the prisoners _and_ be so blatantly sloppy with their opsec. Because they're trying to invite a rescue attempt, specifically from you, STRQ."

STRQ paused sheepishly, as Professor Arc folded her arms.

"They think they have an understanding of your characters and are attempting to bait you," Nwyfre continued, running her fingers over a map of Vale's districts. "And to be fair, in any other circumstance it might have actually worked. You should be a little flattered, actually, that they want you two so bad. A pair of Hunter skinchangers would be a good get for them, I imagine."

Raven and Qrow exchanged very skeptical glances.

"But, they're so cocky that they're leaving their asses completely bare. Gods bless government hubris, I adore it."

Joan cleared her throat, glaring at her ex-partner. Nwyfre grinned hungrily at the map of the Kingdom's outer walls and roadways, ignoring the Professor.

"We're going to eat these niflings alive."

"I hate to rain on your little parade," Joan started, her voice chilly. "But, just a wild thought: what if they aren't only trying to lure in Raven and Qrow?"

Nwyfre paused in her tracing, her head tipping in consideration.

"What if they are trying to bait you and the rest of the Branwen raiders as well?"

Nwyfre raised a slow, suspicious eyebrow, glancing up from the worn tabletop.

"They would have to know my whereabouts, first."

Joan snorted contemptuously, shaking her blonde head.

"No, they wouldn't. You aren't nearly as unpredictable as you think, you know? Any time the BTF, Settlement police or another force finds themselves in possession of a Branwen, the higher ups are well aware that the rest of you are going to eventually show, hell or high water, with the dark brother and a pack of Grimm on your heels. Which is exactly why you lot are listed as kill on sight for most Intrakingdom law enforcement branches instead of capture, by the way."

Raven felt a defiant flicker of pride at that fact. Nwyfre glared daggers at the Professor, who continued implacably.

"Besides, Regalia already knows Raven is a Branwen-"

Raven coughed awkwardly, her cheeks warming as her mother sighed in exasperation. It's not like she had been the one to tell her; but Regalia may well have been able to figure it out on her own.

Qrow snickered lightly at her expression and Raven swatted at his leg under the table. He swatted back promptly. Summer promptly wedged herself in between them, preventing further escalation. The two women ignored all of this.

"-and is very experienced at capturing free folk. If this is an attempt to bait a rescue, then I would hazard that Regalia and the rest of the King's Service know you and other raiders may become involved. In fact, I bet they're counting on it."

A shadow crossed Nwyfre's face as she considered Joan's words for several long beats.

"That would only track if they were in possession of one of our skinchangers already," Nwyfre said thoughtfully. "Which they are not. Or if they were aware of the full nature of Raven's Semblance, which is unlikely."

Raven's eyes widened at the suggestion, mind racing as she bit her lip in thought.

"Perhaps, but would approaching this with an extra layer of caution actually hurt our chances?" Joan droned.

Nwyfre started chuckling after a moment, meeting the other woman's eyes incredulously.

"Are YOU seriously trying to lecture ME on being more cautious?"

Professor Arc pursed her lips, a glint of amusement in her eyes.

"Really, Jo? Ms. Oops! I went and got a hit put on us by the Talon by being a goofy prat - Arc? Are you fucking serious?"

"We survived," Arc waved dismissively, her eyes still glimmering as her lips twitched.

"Oh, yeaaaaa, we did, didn't we? It's crazy how that happened, isn't it? Almost like….someone, _somewhere_, made sure you didn't get your idiot throat cut in your sleep? Goodness, what a concept-"

"Hey, stow it for a second," Raven jumped into the conversation, moving to grab one of the photographs off the table. "Joan may be onto something."

There was a chilly pause. Raven looked up, meeting a pair of belligerent glares calmly; at her elbow, Summer was biting her lip to prevent herself from giggling. Raven flourished the photo insistently, her expression serious and brokering no bullshit.

"This one. She can block Semblances, and even cause aural damage if she catches you in the middle of using it, right? But what if that isn't all she can do? What if she can also trace out the scope of a person's abilities?"

Taiyang moved around the table to be closer to the three of them, making a face at the profile picture of the falcon woman.

"For the sake of argument, say that she can, and now knows all of my Semblance connections. Then what Professor Arc is saying not only makes sense, it would mean that attacking the convoy – even with a full party of raiders – would result in failure," Raven persisted. Nwyfre's face changed swiftly in comprehension. "In fact, it'd mean there's a good chance that they aren't planning on moving the prisoners ahead of schedule _at all_, and that this convoy really is just bait for the Branwen tribe. WE would become the prisoners taken to this new facility. And no one would ever know. They'd be free to pump us for information on the other Remnant tribes and take our shifters without repercussions."

"Holy fuck," Qrow whispered, eyes widening in horror. "That evil _bitch_."

Summer's ears flattened, a sharp tooth pulling at her bottom lip, while Taiyang's face hardened. Nwyfre paused, a swift variety of emotions running over her face, before smirking proudly at Raven.

"You're right."

Raven fought the latent urge to puff up at the praise and grinned instead.

"That makes much more sense," Nwyfre took the photograph gently, her eyes full of hunger and storm.

Joan's face took on a brief sheen of anxiety before flickering back to stoicism.

"Regalia is in the public eye at the highest levels. People all over Remnant know who she is, if not _what_ she is. Killing her or her colleagues will bring attention and repercussions that you don't want."

Nwyfre smiled dangerously.

"Don't tell me what I do or don't want, Jo. Besides-" Nwyfre flicked the photo casually onto the table. "I'm not the one who will be executing her. It's not my place."

Taiyang squirmed uncomfortably at the 'E' word, before finally speaking up.

"I thought this was going to be a rescue mission," Tai said, voice tense. "But _executing _people? That isn't going to save those kids' parents!"

"That's where you're wrong, as per usual, Vanilla," Nwyfre droned sardonically. "I wonder if you ever grow tired of it?"

Taiyang's blue eyes lit up in amusement, a slight chuckle escaping him.

"Sure, but I mean, I bet you get tired of being the literal embodiment of a papercut between someone's toes. That's a difficult mantle to bear, you have my condolences."

Raven could feel the heartbeat drumming behind her temple as another migraine loomed on the horizon. Not only were they apparently operating on a severe time limit, but Nwyfre and the lighter half of STRQ kept wasting that time by going for each other's arteries every other half an hour or so. She had hoped that, considering their situation, the three of them would be able to abide long enough to see this through. However, her doubts were beginning to wear at her nerves, and no solution was immediately apparent save choosing a faction to run the raid with, and leaving the other behind; and that was not actually an option.

"And your mother has mine. I pity the woman who raised you."

Taiyang's smile tightened around the edges; outside, the wind was picking up and several leaves blew past, casting brief shadows over the carpet that made Raven think of birds. She grit her teeth.

_We don't have time for this horseshit!_

"These people can't be allowed to live with the information they have; because otherwise, they'll just go back to kidnapping and enslaving innocent people – but, oh wait, that's alright with you, isn't it?"

Raven fought another exasperated sigh as Taiyang's jaw set stubbornly. Qrow groaned aloud.

"Stop trying to bait me. I'm just saying that there's got to be a better way than just killing people you don't agree with-"

"Your brain really is thicker than cottage cheese isn't it?" Nwyfre massaged her temple. "What, boy, do you think if you go and ask them very nicely to stop, that they will?"

Taiyang rolled his eyes as hard as was physically possible.

"Obviously not, but there is a big difference between stealthily rescuing some people who need help and going full blown Witchfinger on a covert government agency."

"Oh, and you're somehow an expert on that now, are you?" Nwfyre drawled. "Do a lot of black-bag operations on your off days? Or are you just thinking about your stupid fucking video games and naïve enough to think that they relate to real life?"

"Are you for real complaining about kids these days and our newfangled technology? That's your lame-ass comeback?" Taiyang laughed, shaking his head as he mocked her. Qrow winced in anticipation. "_'GRRrrr! Back in my day, we didn't have none of them fancy scroll_s! _They make your thumbs weak and your dicks small_-"

"You are too emotionally fragile for this line of work," Nwyfre smirked.

Tai's voice faltered, eyes widening in surprise. Raven scowled; Nwyfre really did always go where she smelled blood.

"Do you really think no one else notices? _Taiyang_? Please. You're a pampered child, masquerading as a Huntsman. Everyone around you can see it; and your humor will only protect you for so long-"

"Stop talking to him like that before I kick you out of the war room!" Raven snapped, slapping her palm on the table. "And stop wasting _my_ fucking time! Or I will run this raid without you, I swear to gods!"

Nwyfre hesitated, an obviously barbed comment dangling on the tip of her tongue. Raven's eyes narrowed in direct challenge. Silence reigned in the space, as the rest of her team glanced between herself and the Morrigan.

"I recommend that we take a break now," Joan finally commented. It was clear from her tone that this was not in fact a recommendation. "Fre, let's have a chat. STRQ, take a walk and get a snack. We'll continue in fifteen."

Raven growled under her breath and spun on her heel, stalking swiftly out of the library alcove first without looking back. She took a deep breath as she rounded the corner. Exhaled. Repeated.

After the pounding in her temple started to slow, she managed to actually take in her surroundings. She'd marched down one of the aisles that was covered, not in books, but in odds and ends left by students of yesteryear.

There were dozens of photographs, of teams, of friends and loved ones; coins, beads, feathers, animal teeth, and toys dotted the dusty shelves by the mostly framed photos. Raven realized that aisle wasn't just a hidden place to store secrets, but was in fact a makeshift shrine; she hadn't taken much notice of it before.

She ran her fingers over the layers of dust on the shelf nearest her, before wiping the dirt off her hand carelessly. She sighed, padding down the aisle and allowing herself to become lost in thought. The whispers of doubt and anxiety that she'd been wrangling ferociously to the floor resurfaced once again, walking the corridors with her.

Raven recognized, though she was loathe to ever admit it, that it was becoming harder and harder to reconcile the duality of her life. She also knew that this was just the beginning. She didn't even have her license as a Huntress yet; it could only get worse from here. Despite everything that had happened over summer break, in her gut she knew that the values her family held and the values of her teammates would never, ever fully align; and eventually that dissonance would drive them completely apart.

They might be able to compromise when forced to do so. They might grin and bear it, while hiding their blades behind their backs and spitting insults at one another when Qrow and herself weren't baby sitting them. On rare occasions, such as this one, they might even try to work together to achieve a common goal. Yet, at the end of the day, they ultimately walked paths with completely different destinations.

They would always, in reality, be separate pieces of her heart. No matter how many free people went on to become Hunters in name and on paper, they never would be in spirit. Not in this generation at least, or even the next; and no matter how much Summer and Taiyang accepted Qrow and herself as individuals, in the end, the Branwen and the agents that protected the sanctity of civilization were incompatible forces. They were diametrically opposed at their very cores, and even if they could understand one another at times, they could not help but try to tear one another apart when given the opportunity. It was simply their natures.

A cold weight was settling across her heart and choking in her throat as she wandered among the ghosts and lost treasures of previous Beacon students. She sniffed, anger and frustration giving way to a sorrow so deep, she felt it in her bones. Because she was stricken with a vision of the future, an omen that she could not ignore nor denounce; grief and bile flavored her tongue as the truth of it took her in its teeth and shook her. There would come a day, likely sooner rather than later, where Raven would no longer be able to straddle the divide between the worlds she loved; and she would have to see for herself what side of the line her own nature ultimately stood on.

* * *

More notes: Thanks to WhatOtherPlanet for the beta, and to rest of you hoodlums that keep coming back. lol. We get into the meat and potaddies next chapter, which will be a long one and likely wrap up this arc. After that will probably be a break chapter - this story is gonna have several.


	19. Chapter 19

Music Choices: On by BTS and Sia, Le château abandonné by Guilhem Desq, My Blood by Twenty One Pilots

Author's Notes: Ok, so I kinda totally lied and I'm sorry. lol. The raid is next chapter.

**Eclipse**

Chapter 19

The Great and the Good Part II

She didn't remember much of her life before the Hunters had rescued her. Frankly, she'd done her best to forget most of it, seeing as the first six or so years of her life had not started off on the right track. They had not started off on any track, in fact, right or wrong. Because Regalia had been born into a state of complete free-fall.

Hunger and anger. Desperation and uncertainty for the future. Grimm and murder after murder after burning cars and homes. Domestic violence and a parade of vile people, who acted little better than animals and thought nothing of hurting others or taking that which did not belong to them. It was all a hectic, awful blur, whipping at breakneck speeds past a little girl who had been tossed into that world and told to 'fly or die'.

One of the only truly vivid memories of her previous life involved watching two cretins, cretins whom she assumed had been her biological parents, rob and kill an innocent man and his wife. Afterwards, they'd strung the couple's disemboweled corpses up on the side of the road, calling it 'a right good gift for the Grimm'.

Regalia recalled the exact way their voices had cracked from thirst as they cackled, clambering back into the grungy jeep they'd hidden behind the brush on the side of the road. They'd stank of blood, gunpowder, cheap booze and the suffering of other people. It was a very specific, rank cologne that clung to the skin and clothes of all the bandit types; she still used that stench to help pick the bastards out of a crowd.

However, as her so called parents hooted victoriously in the front seats, overjoyed about the lien and personal effects they'd acquired, Regalia remembered how she had felt, trembling in the back. She had been so scared of them in that moment, that she'd shifted skins right there and then.

They'd yelled at and slapped her for being so afraid that day; sometimes, a small, hurt part of her still wondered if they had been ashamed of what they were, in that moment. In the end, though, it didn't matter if they'd had the sense to feel shame or not for the things they'd done. They never changed their ways, and eventually got what they deserved.

Meanwhile, Regalia somehow got salvation, before her 'parents' had had the opportunity to warp her into something as equally base and cruel as themselves. People -good people, that did not hurt children or maim innocents- found her. Two Hunters, who by providence pulled her from the wreckage of the bandit tribe's camp; and instead of handing her over to the BTF, Valish authorities or foster system, they took her home.

The two Hunters, Jorinde and Joringel, took care of her for a time, and even gave her a proper name; and the chance to put her gifts to good use, once those were revealed. Regalia would always be grateful to them, but even more so to one man in particular. The King's man who had discovered and fostered her talents, along with those of other rescued waifs, and eventually inducted her into the King's Service himself: Verdant Crom Cruach.

Few knew anything of Verdant's past. He was a man who did not speak frequently of such things, as he was too often focused on the here and now or the future. The most that could be said of his shrouded history, was that he was the first skinchanger to come forward from the wilds to pledge himself in the direct service of the King of Vale.

He revealed to His Majesty alone the existence of abilities beyond the scope of mere Semblances, what some might call magic; and he informed the King of the bandit-tribes use of skinchanging to infiltrate Settlements and Kingdoms, to scavenge, steal, and plot, all without regard for walls or guards. Yet, he had not come without also offering a viable solution to this problem; and thus, the Service was reborn into what it was today - an aegis cloak, one that protected all of Vale from enemy magic users, and rehabilitated rogue shifters into productive members of Kingdom society.

Yes, she was grateful to Verdant and the Hunters for giving her this chance at a good life. She recognized how fortunate she was, in that regard. However, gratitude without action was not enough in her opinion. What good was gratitude if one did not take every opportunity to repay one's debts?

Today was the start of yet another opportunity to do so, and it had set her nerves alight since before the sun had even risen that morning. Regalia's mind was racing eagerly as she strode purposefully down the marbled halls of the palace, smiling and nodding at familiar faces. People smiled back, some greeting her by her name or rank. It made her walk a little taller. She was in a good mood, no, an excellent mood and she could not hide the spring her step.

Despite that extremely unpleasant fumble the other day, things had quickly turned around in her favor and she had been swift to press her advantage. After explaining the situation to her superiors and debriefing the rest of her team, she'd returned to headquarters and immediately set to work planning their response to this new threat to the safety of the Valish citizens and King's sovereignty.

She paused as she passed a balcony that overlooked the Kingdom, taking in the glimmering skyline. In the distance, the towers of Beacon loomed, nearly level with the castle itself. She had never personally set foot in Beacon, but she had always admired it from a distance; and she had had the pleasure to work with many of Beacon's graduates over the years. Beacon graduates were, in her opinion, always a cut above the rest, but she was admittedly a bit biased.

Without thinking, Regalia moved to the banister and leaned upon the cool marble with both forearms, before wincing slightly as she put weight on the arm that that girl had cut. It had mostly healed by now, thanks to aura boosters and the excellent medical staff that looked after the King's people; but it was still a little tender. She took some, admittedly tasteless, satisfaction that the bandit girl had suffered more grievous injuries than herself.

Irritated by her own thoughtlessness, Regalia's amber eyes cooled as she stared out at the distant shadow of Beacon. No, she had never laid a foot (nor wing) there; it was not her domain, and service-members were expressly forbidden from entering the campus. Apparently, there were some rather mystical protections laid into the very fabric of the school itself, that were hazardous to unwelcome magic users (including skinchangers). It was suspected to be a leftover of some lost era, perhaps, when the knowledge of magic was perhaps more common. Beacon had existed in some form for several hundreds of years, after-all. At least as long as Vale had (and some even suspected longer, still - but those were mostly conspiracies).

Which really, truly begged the question of how the Branwen had infiltrated the school when such unseen measures were in place? They had to be more clever than she'd originally credited them. Regardless, the fact that something so illustrious had become infected with such vermin was something she found to be personally insulting.

_What is that man thinking?_

Ozpin. The mysterious, and ridiculously young, headmaster of Remnant's number one Hunter Academy. She had met him a few times during her career and had always found him to be a bit unsettling despite his surface level charm. There was something about his eyes that suggested they saw too much when they looked at you; and rumors abounded about his allegiances. His Majesty did not fully trust him, and neither did the Council, for what little their opinions actually mattered (no one honestly valued the thoughts of the _mighty_ Council members, the loftiest of pearl clutchers and most lauded hoarders of public lien).

Still, surely Ozpin knew about those people in his ranks? He was one of the few "respectable" individuals in the world who was aware of skinchangers, she knew that from the warnings of her own mentors. He was also one of the most well informed men in Vale, possibly in all of the Kingdoms. So to think that he had allowed this to happen out of ignorance was unlikely. Which meant it was entirely intentional. Regalia couldn't wrap her own head around it.

_And to say nothing of Arc…_

That, perhaps, was far worse a betrayal. Joan Arc had been lauded as one of the most righteous Huntresses on the scene in the last fifty years. Her entire career had been built upon weeding out corruption by the roots. The woman had even whipped the bloody BTF into shape, and Dust knew that entire establishment had been viewed as a lost cause for decades. However, even the brightest spark was capable of falling back to the ground as ash, apparently.

Regalia knew Arc's dubious history, and who her partner had been at Beacon. It was common knowledge in most law enforcement circles, though no one dared to ever mention it, save in whispered conversations that were quickly quieted and forgotten. No sane individual would ever be impertinent enough to suggest that a Huntress of Arc's caliber and good standing could be swayed by someone so poisonous as Nwyfre Donovan, the shared shame of the Hunter and Witchfinger communities.

_Had it all been a ruse? Have they been collaborating this entire time?_

She had no concrete evidence, at least not yet. However, Regalia was aware that the terrorists that called themselves the Branwen had always been a step or ten ahead of those desperately trying to put a stop to their activities for the past fifteen years. Arc and Donovan had even been recorded clashing on multiple occasions (particularly after the incident) before Joan took up her post as a reservist officer of the BTF and a full time instructor at Beacon. Regalia had taken the time to pour over the limited surveillance of those encounters, reading witness testimony after testimony; their ire and conflict had seemed real to everyone involved. To suggest that they had been faking seemed utterly outlandish.

_And yet, Arc personally came to the rescue of the Branwen girl…._

Regalia frowned in thought as she stared at those towers in the distance, that seemed so much more sinister now than they ever had. This was all deeply troubling, and she could feel her good mood trying to sour. After a heavy breath, Regalia let her smile return.

It did not matter. They would do their duties, and rid Vale of these parasites permanently; and if Arc, or even Ozpin tried to interfere, then that was their folly.

Regalia turned away from the balcony and strode briskly back inside, heading for the elevator. She would not allow her personal feelings or doubts to prevent her from doing what was just. Because she remembered what Arc had perhaps forgotten; and that was that the Kingdom came first.

* * *

"Joan?"

She glanced up in mild surprise, several locks of blonde hair falling temporarily across her field of vision. Ozpin was looking at her with _that_ expression, the one where he peered over his folded hands and tried to see the heart of you. They were currently in his office at the top of the tower, but she was admittedly not present for their conversation about the bloody budget.

"My apologies, Oz, you were saying?" she prodded. He meant well, but she didn't want this to turn into another Joan Arc's therapy hour again. She didn't have the time or the desire.

"Nothing particularly interesting, if I may be honest," Oz chuckled lightly, keeping his fingers steepled. She stared at them with a mounting sense of wariness. "However, you seem worried about something. And I doubt it involves our beloved budget. May I ask what is troubling you?"

She hesitated for the briefest of moments.

"I'm thinking of a suitable punishment for STRQ's behavior the other day," she said confidently. She didn't even blink as she said it.

Ozpin's brow rose a fraction and his eyes shone. Beneath their feet, gears for the clock tower spun under thick, reinforced glass.

"Oh?" he hummed impishly, mouth pulling. "I thought you had that all figured out by now?"

She paused, remembering Nwyfre's accusation of bugging STRQ's room; of Raven's extreme distrust of the Headmaster, and desire to keep her and her brother's abilities a secret from him.

_What an awkward position..._

"It's more…complicated, perhaps than I originally hoped-" she said, shrugging lightly. "But you know how it goes."

His smile widened a fraction.

"Yes."

He leaned back in his chair. It did not creak or groan. Nothing in his office made any obnoxious amount of noise; she couldn't even hear the machinery that surrounded them, or the giant clock when it chimed.

"I do. I have a suggestion, actually, if you're willing to hear it?"

Joan nodded her chin, meeting his eyes unflinchingly.

"Take them for a week of remedial training," Oz waved towards the blue sky beyond. "One of the nearby Settlements surely has some nests that need clearing out; you'll be able to pick the jobs, and their names will go on the board with yours since they'll be shadowing you. I bet being reminded of why they're here will motivate them a little."

Joan opened her mouth, completely confused, before realizing the full nature of their conversation.

_Oh, you little wanker!_

"It isn't _motivation_ that I'm worried about," she continued, carefully monitoring her indignation. "And I would need someone to cover for my classes while I was away. Honestly, now might not be the best _time_ for me to take a full week. Maybe four days at most."

"I see," he nodded reasonably, as if they were discussing the weather. Or the bloody budget. "Well, most of the others are loaded down or abroad, at the moment. But you know, Tormund called the other day? Apparently he's in the area for some Witchfinger business that's wrapping up, and I distinctly remember that he owes you some favors as well?"

Joan didn't know whether to be irritated, horrified or amused by the suggestion. She settled for a compromise of all three.

"I would greatly prefer it didn't come to that, since I'm already dealing with some…extreme personality conflicts on the personal front-"

He nodded, his face the portrait of empathy; but it didn't hide the amusement in his eyes.

"An _impressive_ amount, I am sure."

A vein in her temple was beginning to throb.

_We should have picked another location besides that damn library, I knew it had too many mirrors…_

"Yes," she glared, not buying the innocent look on his face for a moment. "And with my current schedule, I honestly don't know if I could deal with all that."

"It would be difficult. However, if time is against you, Tormund should be one of your first calls as a professional," he said solemnly, before grinning lightly. "Besides myself, of course."

Joan fought the urge to groan in exasperation. He hadn't called her up here to actually talk about the gods damned budget at all. She shouldn't be surprised, considering the man's nature; and it's not like he wasn't already aware of the situation with the King already. However, it was this exact sort of double speak and roundabout bullshit that unsettled all the paranoids that came into contact with him and made her job more difficult than it should be; as well as tempted her to throttle him at times.

"You know why I didn't," she clipped, raising her eyebrows. "And can we just drop the Ursa-manure and speak frankly?"

He folded his hands atop his desk.

"Consider the Ursa manure thoroughly dropped."

"Good- why did you put that thing in STRQ's room?" she asked immediately.

There was a startled pause as he blinked owlishly behind his spectacles. He had not expected her to ask that; but that's what he gets for trying to play games with her.

"….Which-"

"Remember," Joan reminded him firmly. "No manure."

He paused, automatically considering the various angles in which he should broach the topic, yet knowing that any but the most direct would be unacceptable to her.

"I put the glyph there to help them gain some…independence," he finally admitted. She fought a mighty urge to face-palm. "I was worried about certain forces attempting to manipulate them. Namely Nwyfre and potentially Set – he'd been skulking around the campus for months and it was making me rather nervous-"

A memory of silver eyes, a cheshire grin and subzero winds screaming in anguished fury rose out of the dark gulf where it lurked beneath the surface. Joan frowned.

_I hate that blighted cat._

"You violated their personal space to give them independence?" she interrupted, eyes hard. "Are you a hypocrite, or just daft?"

He considered the question, mouth pursing.

"Well when you put it that way," he finally grimaced. "I guess I'm a little of both."

She took a deep breath to calm herself and exhaled. The vein in her temple drumming cheerfully away. Outside the windows, sunlight glinted off the distant skyscrapers of the Kingdom.

"You really shot us both in the foot with that little maneuver, I hope you understand that," she reprimanded him, instinctively sliding into her 'instructor voice'. For a brief moment, Oz actually looked his current body's age: a sheepish twenty something year old, fidgeting behind a fancy desk that was too big for him. "More importantly, our students should be able to _trust us_, Ozpin, regardless of what outside 'forces' you're worried about affecting them. By pulling that stunt, you not only _did not_ dissuade Nwyfre from trying to influence her children, you fractured their trust in us. And that? That is unacceptable."

Ozpin opened his mouth and, after a moment of consideration, shut it.

"Right. So - not only did you damage our reputations with our students - you also made her completely hellbent on getting back at you! As if we don't have enough problems to worry about!"

The gears spun, spun, spun around them silently as he sat in thought. Joan quietly decided this man needed to get out of his creepy office more often and get some good interaction with average, living people. Gods knew he needed some sunshine, at least. Sitting up here all day or roaming the back-halls of Beacon to sneak up on students or staff was no way to keep oneself grounded or sane; and _gods_ knew what he drank besides coffee, she'd never seen him touch of a bottle of water or even tea in her entire life. Did he ever even see the sun in person, save when she made him?

_Listen to me, like I'm his bleeding mother. I have enough damn kids to look after as it is!_

"Wait, she wasn't already?" he quipped finally, tone deceitfully wry. Joan didn't entertain his attempt at humor and carried on solidly.

"The fact that you didn't wake up with a knife buried in your throat is utterly absurd to me," Joan glared, folding her arms. "And the only explanation I can reach for that? Is because at the time, she wasn't sure if it was you or me who was responsible. Which put my life at risk as well! Do I need to spell that out for you?"

"Ah, no," he coughed awkwardly, struggling to meet her gaze. "I understand-"

"Do you?" Joan leaned forwards, ferocity bleeding into her tone. "I'd almost say you would have earned that reincarnation for being so manipulative and foolish! Don't ever pull something like that on our students or put me in that position again!"

Joan shook her head in disappointment. "They at least deserve better than head-games and politics."

Oz hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. A silence stretched between them, and he seemed to deflate a little, aging in the blink of an eye. He looked deeply tired. The kind of tired that Joan sometimes saw in soldiers or Hunters who had survived experiences no one could put into words. It was a feeling that she was not unsympathetic to.

"They do. And so do you. I am _truly_ sorry, Joan. It was…short sighted and unfortunately very petty of me."

She stared at him, her own feelings trying to get her to soften the blow. She honestly couldn't say what kind of person she'd be, if she had lived the same existence he had. Hanging on to one's values in a single lifetime was hard enough as it was. But hanging onto them for thousands of years, many of which were full of grief and loss and darkness? Just thinking about the worst day of her life so far-

_Silver eyes, gale force winds and blood covering her arms up to the shoulders. A twisted monster, warbling and howling where her friend's body had just been; and Arcene standing between them all. In the treetops, Set was laughing wildly at the display. _

"_MOVE ARCENE!"_

"_Shut up, Joan."_

"IT ISN'T HER, _ARCE! PLEASE!"_

"_For once in your life….JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!"_

Could she endure days like that, over and over and over again, without an end in sight? Could _anyone_, human or faunus, manage to hang on to their soul when faced with that? It seemed like such a cruel fate.

"Well. If anyone is capable of making you feel petty, it would be her," she declared, raising an eyebrow. "Just don't let yourself get drug down to her level, Ozpin. She delights in it."

"Hm," he murmured, turning to look out the window. "More than you know."

She gave him a curious look, following his gaze towards the glistening peaks of the Kingdom's castle.

"Thank you. For keeping me grounded. After so many years, it's far too easy to lose sight of what actually matters."

_That I do not doubt whatsoever. _

He turned back to her, the exhaustion gone, hidden away under a wry smile and spectacles. It was a familiar maneuver, the lowering and lifting of the mask. Ozpin was nearly a shapeshifter in his own right.

"But now, if we are still speaking frankly, I do have some more suggestions about how to proceed. If you'd like to hear them?"

She considered the offer briefly before accepting, setting aside her initial reservations. Ozpin, despite his flaws, irritating quirks and immortality, always strove to do what was right and owned his mistakes when he didn't; and for this to work, they would need all the help they could reasonably get. Those shifters and their children's lives, hells, their very sovereignty, were hanging in the balance. Anything else distracting from that could be set aside, redirected or overcome; because if she had ever believed in just one thing her entire life, it was that helping other people in need always came first.

* * *

The library alcove was empty, save for her. STRQ had fled to go get something to eat from the galley and likely vent. Meanwhile, Joan had been called up to speak with Ozpin about 'the bloody budget' out of the blue, and had marched out of their makeshift war-room irritably.

Nwyfre knew immediately that that was complete horseshit. Ozpin did not want to talk about Beacon's budget during the second week of the first semester, and in reality was trying to meddle in the raid from a distance. She could feel the invisible noose tightening around her neck already. She never should have agreed to this, and she knew it.

_Too late now_.

Snorting in disdain, she pushed away from the slightly tilted table covered in maps, diagrams, and photographs; she ran her fingers over the walls, sending out gentle threads of aura, searching. Nothing pinged back at her, dismissing the idea of a hidden glyph or item in the walls.

She'd already warded the room as best as she could on short notice; but apparently she'd missed something. Perhaps it was something non-arcane, like a hidden microphone? Those had definitely gotten smaller over the years. No. She would have found that too.

Nwyfre paused near the closed door, eyes roving over the nooks and crannies of the small room. She'd searched all the typical places someone would hide surveillance tech or glyphs, and already wasted a copious amount of good black salt and ash trying to nullify any unseen little nasties creeping out of sight in the corners.

Unless, of course, the bastard had had Joan _herself_ bugged? She tilted her head, considering it. That shiny new armor would be perfect for holding a discrete mirror glyph or two. She felt her lip tug in sardonic delight. Even Ozpin wouldn't fucking dare.

Something scratched at the back of her awareness. Nwyfre did not react, instead returning to look at the table, wearing a thoughtful mein. Her helmet was on the table, and it would help her see the entity creeping along the astral planes nearby; however, if she reached for it suddenly, her new friend might become alarmed and flee back to the safety it's master.

_This is why we don't take the damn helmet off afield. Ugh. I'm getting fucking slow._

Nwyfre yawned and stretched luxuriously; as she moved, a small vial of herbal tincture Ciara had made for her slid into her hand, hidden from immediate view. She pretended to go back to studying the castle diagrams. A minute passed. A soft skittering echoed in the corridors of her mind.

The astral planes surrounding Beacon were a relative fortress, protected by wards, traps, watchdogs and other creatures loyal only to the warlock upstairs. None of Salem's more ethereal forces could infiltrate Beacon via the astral, and frankly, neither could Nwyfre. It had been one of the selling points in sending the twins here originally; to get them away from the things she saw coming for them in the dark.

No, the only entity capable of such a feat would be Set, simply by the nature of what he was; and even for him, it was a difficult task that he did not attempt frequently without some other purpose. Anything here belonged solely to Ozpin.

_I need to pull it closer to physical reality and silence it. _

But what would be the point? Ozpin already knew she was here and the hounds had not descended upon her, STRQ or Joan. Which meant he must ultimately approve of what they were doing. He was, once again, using others as his personal weapons to do the things he did not dare risk doing in person. Even though he had the lives to spare.

A bitter taste rose in her mouth as she narrowed her eyes at the paper. Rage simmered in her gut, in her heart. They were not his playthings.

Nwyfre glanced towards the door, calmly picked up her helmet, and put it on as she made to leave. The world shifted focus as she pretended to investigate the shelves and aisles outside the alcove. One second, she was looking at a bookshelf covered in copper coins and photographs of dead teenagers; the next, a million winding corridors, leading off into the aether. Gravity and natural physics or geometry had no real influence on the astral planes; they looked however they wanted, and sometimes, however the looker wanted them to. Either way, navigating them when you were not a local was, frankly, a right bitch.

Nwyfre was no aetheri. She could not use Hekate's gift to find spirits nearby, banish or summon, nor rearrange the astral planes to suit her wants; she could not return corrupted entities to their natural, sane forms without outside assistance or interrupt Salem's hold over them.

She was also alive, so the further her spirit drifted into them, the more danger she was in; one good slip up, and she might not be able to get back to her body. Worse yet, something with enough gumption and gall might try to take it for a joy ride. However, Nwyfre had taken many, many precautions over the years to ensure her spiritual safety. The result of lessons learned by too many close calls.

She glanced down at her fingers and forearms, expecting to see armored gauntlets and gloves. Instead of the familiar grey and red armor, however, there were black, spiky feathers spreading up to and past her elbows; she also had three fingers on each hand instead of five. The helm had also automatically attached itself to her astral form, melding with her aura and supplementing her with further protections.

Nwyfre paused, going over her options. She was further out than she had wanted to be, due to the liminality created by the students and their shrine making. Such activities made the veil thinner, and incidentally, easier to project further with little effort. The problem with that, however, is that it left her physical body vulnerable to attack, no matter how alert she was. Unless she left it in a circle of warding - but that would ruin the element of surprise.

A voice, hollowed out by the void, grabbed her attention immediately. White claws shot from her fingertips as she spun, focusing on the source not by sound, but by a different sensory pull entirely.

"_You know? Looots of people have accused me of being a coward over the years. Including you! But it's funny: doesn't your name mean some type of yellow?"_

She paused, an angry hiss escaping her chest. So it was one of _these_, then. One of the fractal corridors had been rearranged into a literal memory lane for her. The warlock's spiritual lackey would then try to pull her further from her physical anchor and out into the aether, trapping her in her own personal purgatory; if she lacked the vitality to overcome it, that is.

She grinned, as well as she could in such a form and moved, leaping into the spiraling corridor of forest and snow. A long ago voice to her left, or what counted as her left; Nwyfre ignored it.

"_What- what are __**you**_ _doing here? Where is-"_

Shadows of the past. She watched the trees, felt the fabric of the memory spinning and warping around her, through her like waterfalls of light.

"_You know what they say about naming things? Right? Perhaps your parents should have put a bit more thought into choosing yours. "_

"_...Stop it."_

"_I wonder, what would they think of their daughter now? I actually, almost feel bad for them. In fact, I bet this would just break their sweet little hearts. Gods, they were always so proud of you, weren't they? Everyone was. You made sure of that, didn't you?"_

"_STOP."_

An entity that feeds on and is made of memory and light. A Mnemosyne. It was one of the denizens of the higher astral realms and therefore could not be corrupted by Salem due to its nature; but it was something that Ozpin could _easily_ tame and keep cozy for a very, very long time.

A Mnemosyne could also weasel out snippets of information from passersby of its territory, and burrow even deeper into their squishy little minds without leaving a trace or damage. A mental parasite, here spying and feeding away in Beacon's library, the perfect hunting grounds; and passing on whatever it discovered to its master. How downright devious.

Her own voice echoed around her as she brushed between the reconstructed trunks, hunting.

"_Come on, what's with that face? I thought we were friends!"_

"_Stay away from me, Witchfinger!"_

"_Oh but I can't, now, can I? Because I know who you're really working forrrr, Omi~nae~shi~"_

Nwyfre darted backwards with a hiss, dodging several threads of light; a few feathers disappeared in puffs of black smoke, extinguished by the lightform attack. Above her, in the twisting maze of trees and her own memory being played out over and over, she saw a nearly invisible figure scuttling away. She pursued it, weaving soundlessly through the labyrinthe.

"_What? Ha, you've finally gone off the deep end haven't you? I_ _**knew**_ _you would, you've always been so screwed up!"_

"_Tsk tsk. You were going to do something baaad, weren't you? And then, have me take the fall! Wow. Pretty sneaky of you, Ohms. Downright….devious for such a goody little two shoes."_

"_I- you're crazy. I don't know what you're talking about-"_

"_You don't? But your little friend just told me all about it -Awww, wait, don't run! I swear. I just wanna talk."_

More threads of light, dozens of them; trying to ensnare her, burn her astral body away to ashes. Nwyfre dove through and around, summoning gusts of wind to assist in dodging; she could make copies of herself here, much like in physical reality. However, they were still made of aura; and a spiritual injury to aura lasts far longer than a physical one. She would make due without using her Semblance.

"_STAY AWAY FROM ME!"_

Nwyfre sneered as a thread of light lanced across her exposed shoulder, burning free more feathers and black ash. She made a quick hand signal, cutting her finger in physical reality with a tack on her thumb; then she activated the glyph with blood and flung the mark back at the Mnemosyne. The bindrune expanded, manifesting like a tacky net that eagerly glued the previously invisible entity to the tree behind it and revealed its true shape.

"_Nooope. It doesn't work that way, Omiii~"_

"_T-They'll never believe you! If you kill me here, they will never believe you! An-and Jo will __**never, ever**_ _forgive you!"_

Nwyfre diligently ignored the past-forms drama behind her, focusing intently on the spindly, crystalline creature struggling to break free from her spell. It was shrieking, and the glue-like bindrune she had pinned it with was beginning to smoke as light flared in its innards. She weighed the tincture and ash in the palms her physical hands.

"_Oh really? The same Jo who you were just conspiring against _as well _as all the other nasty bullshit you were doing? You mean that Joan?"_

"_What- no! No, I would never-"_

"_He told me about that, too, Ohms. And I know _he _wasn't lying….unlike you."_

The Mnemosyne's legs were burning free. It hadn't grown any eyes to look at her with, but it didn't need them. The memory-scape around her was beginning to flicker as the entity focused its energies on breaking free of her. Nwyfre smirked bloodily at it, her eyes smouldering like embers in the helm. It hadn't tried to bargain with her yet, and likely wouldn't. It was more afraid of its master's ire than anything she could do to it.

The thoughtforms were moving past her, pantomiming their movements from years and years ago. She spared her younger self a brief glance; a young Nwyfre stood by her shoulder, looking right past her.

"_I've _always _known when you lied. Man, you lie a lot, don't you? Why don't you take that mask of yours off for once?" _

Ominaeshi's face flickered with light and contempt. Nwyfre pulled her eyes back to the Mnemosyne, waiting. It was her memory after all; she remembered perfectly well how Ohm's eyes had grown instantly colder, empty as void once she realized that acting like a scared rabbit wouldn't convince Nwyfre to show her mercy or make her slip up.

Ominaeshi had never liked her, but not for the reasons the others had thought. It wasn't because Nwyfre was mean, or cruel or had become a Witchfinger. Those weren't things that Omi actually cared about, despite being very good at pretending that she did. Omi had loathed her since their second semester together at Beacon. Because it was then that Nwyfre had finally recognized a similarly calculating mind, one that wore a much more effective social camouflage than herself; and it was then that Nwyfre had started to keep a watchful eye over sweet, dear Omi, much to the other woman's displeasure. If only she had watched closer.

"_Hmph. Well you know what they say: it takes a liar to know one."_

Thoughtform Nwyfre smiled hungrily at her former teammate.

"_Or maybe you're just shit at it?"_

Memory Ominaeshi continued, acid coating her tone.

"_...You have no real evidence. I know you don't, because I didn't leave a trail. Plus you killed the only other witness like a complete fool. And that cute little microphone under your collar? It's dead now."_

Thoughtform Omi smiled brightly, a gesture that didn't reach the black of her eyes, and waved a small emp device, one of several she had hidden in the treeline to prevent anyone trying to record her conversation. She had pretended to flee Nwyfre to lure her closer to it, so it could completely fry any surveillance tech the Witchfinger had been carrying; not that she hadn't been aware that that was what she was probably doing.

"_-Honestly, what a joke. Shouldn't you be a bit more clever about getting a confession, Witchfinger?"_

"_Sure, but I didn't come here for a confession. Even if I marched your sociopathic little ass into HQ wearing a sign that says "I betrayed the entire world for one chicken nugget" and video evidence of you sucking off a battalion of Salem's henchmen, for some mysterious reason, I'm betting they'd still let you go?"_

"_Tch. So you fully understand your position, then. Either way, you'll lose everything, you know? The house always wins."_

Thoughtform Nwyfre continued to smirk.

"_I'll bounce back."_

"_Not this time, Donny. You're typically smarter than the others, at least, and I've always respected that about you. But you are also faaar to openly indulgent of your own sadistic nature to make yourself socially viable; and in the end, that's what actually matters, you know? Perception."_

The thoughtforms were beginning to flicker in and out entirely, as the Mnemosyne finally broke an arm free, rainbow fractures splintering down its limb. Nwyfre could feel the corridor around them being shifted through the aether, pulled back towards physical reality as the entity tried for a new escape route; she could smell something like hot copper, and realized the coins back on the shelf in the library were likely melting as the entity grabbed onto them for anchor points.

Thoughtform Nwyfre glared as Ominaeshi tossed the Dust infused emp in her glittering hand.

"_None of those people will ever take your word over mine, not with your track record. Not even our glorious fool of a leader. So walk away; you'll get a good head start if you start running now."_

Both thoughtforms faded briefly, as the Mnemosyne thrashed, before popping back into existence.

"_And just let you sell out my partner, huh?"_

"_Now who's playing games? Come on, masks off, Donovan! You don't care about any of that either! Joan's made far too many waves, too fast; all the factions in all the _world _despise her - gods, especially her own! Someone will remove her eventually, no matter what you do. Arcene too, if I can't get her under control."_

The Mnemosyne finally scrabbled completely free of the bindrune's grasp, screeching in fear and anger; the aetherial corridor had unraveled completely, and the thoughtforms bodies faded away into static, if not their voices. Those continued to echo in her head, even as the entity bolted for reality, trying to rush her physical body in an attempt to surprise and overwhelm her. Nwyfre snapped back, realigning her astral form with her physical one instantly.

"_Wow, Tabby too? You've been busy."_

"_It isn't preferable. I do care about her, you know? But poor Arce is far too emotionally vulnerable for the power she possesses and the world we live in. Death would genuinely be a mercy at this rate. Besides, who are you to lecture me? We're of the exact same cloth if not the same shape - you always put yourself first, just like I do. Don't worry, I don't actually find that despicable at all! It's perfectly natural, no matter what other people pretend to believe on the surface. One should always embrace their better instincts."_

Several bookshelves were toppled to her right as the spirit sprinted on dozens of nigh invisible, crystalline legs; it's mouth had opened, a fractal maze full of rainbow teeth and the stolen memories of everyone it had ever fed on.

She sneered beneath the helm, broke the tincture in one hand and flung a palm full of white hot banishing potion in the spirit's face; it reared back, kaleidoscope body and maw steaming as it screamed in pain across the astral planes. There was no way that Ozpin could not hear his pet, even up in his little tower. She hoped it gave him a a terrible fucking headache.

She ducked away from it's razor sharp feet, before whipping free a bag of ground white oak, wormwood, rosemary and mugwort from her belt; she ignited it by rubbing the Dust infused wick at the end and threw it. The chaotic library aisle immediately clouded with thick smoke and the Mnemosyne finally lost its foothold on reality. It began to dis-corporate, billowing with white steam.

"_Borinnng. See, this is what always annoyed me the _most _about you- you just don't fucking get it."_

"_Oh? Care to spell it out for me?"_

"_No. Something like you could never understand…."_

Nwyfre threw up a few more warding and binding glyphs after the entity was vanquished, weaving protective magic throughout the fabric of the astral and physical planes of the library; aetherial barbed wire and ghost's teeth, vectors to drive out intruders and protect secrets. Any active mirrors she found hidden about she smeared with ash and oil, front and back, nullifying them as portals. When she was done, nothing other than Set himself would be able to enter these rooms through the astral planes; and even he would struggle to find a backdoor.

By the time STRQ and Joan returned to the alcove, Nwyfre had already moved the toppled bookshelves back into their previous positions; the damage hadn't been that severe after-all, and the banishing incense was covered up by the sticks she had lit at the makeshift shrines. Nobody even noticed that anything was amiss, save Qrow.

He kept looking at her, the helm and then back out at the barely off kilter room, pale red eyes curious. Qrow had always been more sensitive to astral disturbances than his sister, at least on a subconscious level. Raven, meanwhile, was still too angry with her to think about anything besides what was right in front of her face.

Joan was equally hyper-focused now that she had finished her 'budget meeting', brimming with new ideas about how to approach this rescue without causing the 'complete collapse of Valish society'. Like it was all her idea, and not a part of the calculations of the man perched up in his tower, surrounded by the gears that spun, spun, spun without end.

_It doesn't actually matter what they think of me. If they hate me. Or even if they completely, absolutely piss me off-_

"_Nwyfre….WHAT DID YOU DO?!"_

_In the end, family always comes first._


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes**: Hard Light Dust is the only successfully manufactured "Dust" on Remnant. Originally created by Atlassian big brains, through the combination of liquid Ice Dust, cold af rubidium gas, and some very confused photons. Hard Light Dust does not come in a crystal form and is really difficult to procure on a civilian level. It is prioritized for Hunters, Witchfingers, and various government agencies. (unless you are savvy enough to make it yourself? )

Also, I know things are pretty wild right now for a lot people in a lot of places. Please stay safe everyone.

**Music Choices**: Mr. Capgras Encounters a Secondhand Vanity by Will Wood and the Tapeworms, Blotjarl and Ivar's Revenge by Danheim, Live to Fight Another Day by The Cog is Dead

Eclipse

Chapter 20

The Raid Part I: Alibis

...

"For this to be successful, you must prevent your identities from becoming compromised above all else. A single break in the chain, and it will be the undoing of every person involved. _All_ of you must find a way to have formidable alibis, for days leading up to and _after_ the event. This will be much trickier than it should be, considering the natures of your opponents."

...

_Saunus. Elphaba's Scepter. Flight 233B from Vale to Burhhurst._

The ferry from Vale to Burhhurst ran thrice weekly and was hardly ever what one might consider crowded. At most, it had twenty people, who might work in the Kingdom during the week or go to school, before flying home for the weekend. Burhhurst was not like the other rich orbital Settlements or townships around Vale; it was a bootstrap backwater more than a 'human flight' suburb, and had survived for well over a century out of sheer spite and determination rather than any handouts from Vale or its wealthier cousins. Of course, that did have its downsides.

Occasionally they got a little overwhelmed with the Grimm populations, but despite not having a huge number of Hunter families or retirees, they made up for it with guts and quick access to exposed Dust deposits. This high up in the mountains, they didn't have anything like Beowolves, Boarbatusks or even Ursa, which all preferred lower altitudes and forests. Skogtrolls were pretty common, as well as Almas, Nevermore, Unseelie and, quite unfortunately, at least several Wurdalak.

In fact, said Wurdalak were deeply annoying to the typically unflappable citizens of Burhhurst, mostly because their type were nearly impossible to remove once they set up shop. For starters, no one had physically seen them nor had they been detected on any cameras. They had simply left traces of their presence on the population over several years; much like Apathy might, but more discreetly. So discreetly, in fact, that there was next to no evidence of their predation besides a collectively lowered immunity in the town, multiple cases of anemia, small bite barks and the occasional splitting headache in the morning.

Wurdalak were considered a mythic vampiric category of Grimm. Highly evolved, highly intelligent, and shrouded in mystery, serious talk of Wurdalak made even the most grizzled Hunter a bit anxious. There had been one documented Wurdalak kill in the last twenty years, and people still questioned it, since there was obviously no physical body. Some people thought Wurdalak were like the Hidebehind, and weren't actually real. Some other people insisted that the Hidebehind was also real; the different camps squabbled over the legitimacy of their Grimm species on Hunter forums with amusing regularity.

What was compiled on the supposed traits of Wurdalaks was outlandish to say the least. Supposedly, they didn't hunt the way most other Grimm did. They were selective in their prey, deeply patient and wasted nothing. Like Goliaths, they understood that wanton killing of a few people would bring swift retribution; so they exercised cunning and restraint, without fail. They recognized Hunters, and purposefully avoided contact with them. The online Grimm theorists even had a hypothesis that Wurdalak were even capable of shapeshifting into other Grimm forms, masquerading as a humble Beowolf or Sabre to avoid detection; this was considered a crackpot theory by most respectable Hunters.

Still, whether fancy Kingdom dwellers believed in Wurdalaks or Hidebehinds didn't matter to the denizens of Burhhurst. They had one, probably more, and were right pissed that it wasn't paying rent or helping out with the chores. They were also pissed that no one was going to do anything about it. The citizens of Burhhurst had grudgingly accepted that they would have a Wurdalak problem for some time.

So, it was with no little shock to the fifteen or so regulars on the ferry back home that a Huntress was leading a team of Beacon sophomore students on a hunt for the Wurdalaks. Said Huntress was none other than Joan Arc, whom most Burhhustians had heard of, especially after she had helped remove a Devil for them some years back. They were not a people prone to Hunter worship, since Hunter's rarely did anything for them, but this was different. Because this was the woman that had removed that Devil for free.

The Burhhurstians stared blatantly as the Huntress grilled her students on their knowledge of various Grimm types, weapon's maintenance, Dust physics and a variety of other things. Said students answered her solemnly, clearly shamefaced over the loss of their weekend and probably the next week. The crew of Elphaba's Scepter even watched the group on camera, the security footage picking up their embarrassed expressions as their instructor scolded them once more for getting into mischief and taking up her time in such an inconsiderate manner. None of said crew had the gall to laugh.

When the Elphaba landed, the team trailed meekly after their instructor as she beelined for the mission terminal in the town square, hardly pausing to take a breath of bright mountain air or allow her rascal students to catch theirs, either. They put their names on the board, right next to the long ignored ticket for Wurdalak removal.

The Burhhurstian's watched on, perhaps a speck more discretely, as they all disembarked and went about their daily business. Mrs. Krasnyik, who owned the motel and tavern duo on fifth street, called up all her friends to brag that Joan Arc, yes that one, was staying at her motel with her Hunters in training; and not only that, they were going to apparently take on their Wurdalak problem. And of course she was barely charging any of them a single lien, because that damned Devil had gotten her cousin Aleksi, and Krasnyik's don't forget blood debts, you know. All of Mrs. Krasnyik's friends went on to spread this news, and variations of this news, immediately.

George Fallow, the man with the most opinions in town, insisted at the tavern that sending a bunch of students to find a Wurdalak nest was the most irresponsible thing he'd ever heard of. Rozavyi Volkav, the mushroom farmer, laughed real loud and said he should go up there and tell her so. George Fallow sniffed at her and said he might do just that, but instead spent the rest of the afternoon in his cups talking about Atlassian imperialism and denying its similarities to Valish imperialism, and no one listened.

It was late afternoon, sundown really, when another stranger came to town, up the rugged switchbacks from the bottom of the mountain. How he made it up all that looking how he did - half starved and peeky- was a mystery. He was a man who looked like he belonged in Vacuo, not the highest mountain range on the continent, at least that's what Chern snickered to his lackeys. George Fallow was of the opinion that that was probably a bigoted thing to say, and told Chern so.

The man strolled into the tavern, went right up to the counter and asked for a glass of wine, like he really thought he _was_ in Vacuo. Mrs. Krasnyik rightly asked 'does it look like we can grow grapes up here?', to which the prick replied 'it doesn't look like you can grow anything, to be honest', which wasn't exactly wrong. Rozavyi took exception to this, but he didn't notice at all, and instead asked for Joan Arc.

Now the tavern looked over this weird, tired looking man, with a crossbow under his patchy black cloak and white frost peppered throughout his fading, auburn hairline, and thought 'maybe he's a Hunter too, but a real sorry sort'. Mrs. Krasnyik then asked him for some identification, and he laughed and said he'd wait there then. Not fifteen minutes later, Joan Arc came downstairs from her motel room, clapped the wanderer on the shoulder, and up they went, talking about past Hunts. Everyone stared, until Briar Brunsworth fell out because he stood up too fast.

* * *

"Not to be rude," started Van, before pausing to watch as Joan and Raven went through the measures of warding the room against eavesdroppers, burning twisted scraps of blue cloth. His voice was hoarse, as if recovering from a sore throat. "But I'd like to talk to Nwyfre, now."

"Give us a moment," Joan clipped, pulling several glyphs scratched on tin coins from her pocket. "It's not like I don't have reservations about you, either, you know."

There was a brief, quiet pause. The motel room smelled like dry flowers and chamomile, to match the flowery curtains. Qrow was the first to take the plunge, and shrugged.

"Hey. I'm Qrow," Qrow stuck his hand out. Van stared at Qrow's palm with big maroon eyes, before finally smiling and shaking it. His fingers were bony and long, with little scarring.

"Hi Qrow. I'm Van."

"Hi Van, I'm Dad," said Taiyang, waving from one of the corners of the bed, Summer having perched across from him on wooden dresser. Van chuckled.

"Oh hi Dad. Did you get some good smokes while you were at the gas station?"

"Sorry, yea, I got into an argument with the cashier and it took way too much time-"

"Please don't encourage him," both Raven and Qrow drawled at the same time. The twins hesitated, sharing irritated glances. "Jinx, no -double jinx you owe me- nooo, fuck you-"

Taiyang waved again.

"Hi fuck yous. I'm Dad."

"I'm gonna fight you," Raven threatened, breaking eye contact with Qrow to glare at the blonde. She then hesitated, realizing her error.

Summer glanced between Taiyang and Raven, biting her lip, eyes bright with humor. Taiyang made a face, putting on a show of struggling with some challenge to his personal values. Finally, he smirked, eyes alight with irreverent glee.

"Hi 'Gonna fight you', I'm Dad-"

Raven tackled him. Van watched placidly as team STRQ devolved into a circus act, with Qrow and Summer instigating on the sidelines. At one point, Taiyang had Raven lifted up on his shoulder, laughing and pretending to dance as she shouted at him, while Summer mimicked showering lien on the both of them. Raven then broke free of Taiyang's vice grip upon her person, like some feral, black and red weasel and finally tried to take him out at the waist. It did not work. Qrow, meanwhile, was cackling so hard he was red in the face. It was quite apparent that the lot of them were more than a little delirious with stress.

"Enough of that, please," Joan called, having finished warding the room. "Before we get evicted for behaving like a herd of wildebeests."

Taiyang and Raven paused, coughed and composed themselves, with Summer grinning at the pair like a kitsune. Qrow tsked his partner, a wry, knowing look on his face; Taiyang did his best to look completely innocent.

Van held out his hand when Joan looked his way. Professor Arc huffed, handed her scroll over. He tossed it on the bed, before nodding at the rest of STRQ to do the same. One pile of scrolls later, Van nodded towards the twins; a pause, and Nwyfre's helmed image popped up in the corner.

"What, can't be bothered to meet in person then?" Van asked, his strained voice heavy with mock, or maybe genuine, disappointment.

"Just a matter of logistics at the moment," Nwyfre insisted coolly.

"I figured as much. What've you gotten yourself into this time, Morrigan, eh? Seems rather….adventurous," he smiled pleasantly, glancing towards Joan and then, briefly, Summer. Joan sniffed, unimpressed, while Tai and Raven gave the scrawny man careful stares.

"Never mind that. Just be ready to uphold your end of things; you're going to be busy for the next week at least."

Raven and Summer shared a curious glance. Nwyfre had never said how exactly her contact planned to do that, only that they needed to physically meet him for him to be able to do so.

"Of course, of course. Not a problem for us," Van beamed. "It'll be very fun, actually, we've just been so bored out here in the sticks."

"I'm sure."

"You know how it is- Oh, and remember," Van leaned forward, his mild expression changing into something a bit too eager. "To us go some of the spoils."

Summer's ears flicked suspiciously at that request, while Raven gave the disreputable Van a sharp glance.

"Naturally."

Van looked genuinely excited for a moment, before the mask of laconic indifference settled over his weathered face once again.

"Ahh. You're my favorite so far, did I ever tell you that?"

"I am not susceptible to flattery, Van," Nwyfre droned. "And you don't have favorites."

"Aww, but that's not true! The Saunus tribes just aren't the same as they used to be, you know? And Hekate_ help us,_ we can't thrive within three hundred clicks of Atlas. We've been considering moving on to Anima next, you know?"

"Oh? I hear Mistral is lovely this time of year. After this wraps, should find a place settle down near there-"

"Stop colluding or plotting or whatever it is you two are doing in front of me, like I'm not here," Joan interrupted, frowning at the pair. Van clapped and rubbed his palms together with a cheerful if raspy laugh, maroon eyes sparkling.

"No need to feel left out! We are all colluding _together_! And what a collusion it is, eh? Who says different sorts can't unite for common goals?"

Joan visibly restrained her urge to smite, folding her arms stiffly as she took a restraining breath.

"We've come a long way, and are on a tight schedule. What exactly do you need?"

"Ah, well," Van rubbed his palms together briskly, as if cold. "I need a pint from each of you."

"A pint?" Raven drew out, her voice terse. "A pint of what?"

"Doy, blood obviously, little birdy," he beamed. The room was deathly silent; Summer's fingers inched towards her tiger hooks. "So I can make your copies? How are you planning to be in several places at once without copies, eh?"

STRQ didn't exactly relax, however, the likelihood that they were about to collectively jump Van decreased by several factors. Joan rubbed the spot between her eyes like it was the only thing keeping her conscious. Van was completely unflustered, still smiling as he beamed about the room. Nwyfre nodded.

"As he says. Van's copies are completely foolproof. They even mimic your aura for a duration and can utilize Dust, in case those tails get a bit too close. No one will be able to tell on a surface level that they aren't the real thing."

"Huh. Kinda gross," Qrow shrugged finally, cocking his head. "But hey, practical Semblance, I guess."

"Oh yea! Extremely," Van smiled like a used car salesman. Summer's nose twitched, the mild discomfort on her face sharpening. "Now, I brought alcohol swabs – none of you are scared of needles, I hope? No? Good. And after I'm done, you can portal right on back."

"You…aren't going to make them here?" Summer asked slowly. "In front of us?"

Van shook his head, the picture of regret.

"I get performance anxiety."

"Bull-donkey," Summer squinted, ears flat in accusation. Van chuckled, mouthing 'bull-donkey' to himself.

"He'll do it," Nwyfre interceded. She sounded like the embodiment of impatience. "Now get on with it, we're meeting Tormund soon."

"Oh? You two don't want some alone time to catch up?" Joan hummed, the innocence in her voice almost matching her eyes. Nwyfre snorted, her Semblance image disappearing before her voice.

"Hurry up."

Joan made a surprisingly rude gesture that incited titters from the teenagers in the room. Van simply hummed, unpacking the black case he'd pulled from under his cloak; it was full of syringes, tubes and empty blood bags.

"Ok boys and girls! Whose first?"

Taiyang raised his hand, beating out Raven and elbowing her playfully when she huffed at him; Summer meanwhile continued to watch Van from her perch on the room's desk, ears flat and pupils small.

* * *

It didn't take too long to gather a pint from the five of them. Van was not merely an expert, he was an artist that could give an emergency room nurse a run for their money; none of them felt the needle, and barely noticed when they were finished.

Van just talked the entire time. He did not ask any personal questions, nor alluded to any information of a personal nature regarding himself. He told stories, mostly, gossip he had gleaned from the mouths of travelers and Hunters alike. He and Qrow got on the most; he and Joan did not talk, but not for a lack of him trying.

Summer did not like Van, but she did not know why. Some deep buried thing in the back of her neck had put her on high alert the moment she saw him, though she had done her absolute best to pretend otherwise. However, the longer they were stuck in the room with him, the more anxious she became. Her hairs were on end, her throat tight; the world kept flickering, an old film that had slowed down so she could see the frames flitter past. Images kept suddenly overlapping one another, as if her periphery vision didn't match what she was physically seeing. She smelled Grimm smoke, faint but fresh.

Van the blood bag man did not seem perturbed by her discomfort whatsoever; even when he took her pulse, he met her eyes and smiled brightly. Summer's eyes narrowed, as the softest warning growl climbed in her throat. Van just winked cheerfully at her.

Yes, something was wrong, but she couldn't place exactly what. He reminded her of Set, but not because he was sly or slick. He wasn't those things, he was instead….offkey. Like a note that was too high or too slow in a sequence. But the longer the music played, the more the errors piled up, creating a song of their own; a hidden message buried in a symphony.

Her nostrils flared again, but then suddenly he was done, bending away from her to clean up.

_Are we doing the right thing?_

Summer clambered free of the chair, her shoulders high and tense as she engaged her aura, allowing it to heal the puncture and begin to replenish her blood supply at a higher rate. Raven noticed her tension immediately, shooting a questioning glance her way, while Taiyang shuffled closer to her instinctively, placing a warm hand on her shoulder and rubbing the muscles there.

Rescuing the imprisoned skinchangers and getting them beyond the reach of the King's Service was admittedly a good thing. It felt right. But doing things by any means necessary was rarely, if ever, the genuinely good option. Just what kind of a bargain had Nwyfre struck with this guy and his group?

Summer continued to watch Van like a hawk, while Taiyang gave Van several of his focal points, so that they would be able to meet closer to Vale and then make their way back into Burhhurst once everything was said and done. Then it was time to get gone. Joan seemed relieved to be done with sharing oxygen with Van, at least, and Raven quickly opened the portal back to Beacon.

"Wait," Joan paused, one foot in the portal as she turned back to look at Van. "Won't you need to mimic our weapons?"

"That won't be a problem," Van waved the vials at them. "All a part of your platinum package deal! I wouldn't set you all up for failure, Ms Arc, that'd be bad for business."

"Very well. And it's Professor," she corrected and with that she disappeared into the spooky vortex. Qrow and Taiyang went next, and then Raven after Summer nodded for her to go on ahead.

"Well little aetheri, it sure has been a pleasure."

Summer took a firm breath and turned back.

"Listen, just what exactly are-"

The words died in her throat.

His maroon eyes no longer had pupils and the whites had disappeared. Van beamed at her, his smile splitting too wide and too black. Summer was frozen, fear and confusion battling together as another piece of her continuously besieged worldview crumbled. She couldn't speak.

Van finally winked and nodded towards the vortex.

"Good luck with all that. I hope we get to work together again! We were always such fans of your father, you know?"

Summer's ears flattened in horror, white noise building up between her eyes until she forced herself to turn away. When Raven and Tai met her in the wasteland between portals, their faces mirroring concern, Summer was pale as a ghost and shaking. The only lie Summer would ever tell Raven and Taiyang, from that moment until the very end, was that she had simply been feeling faint from having her blood drawn.

* * *

Brunoz perched upon the scrappy sapling, shuffling from foot to foot, his long brown feathers fluffing against the dark mountain chill. Below his sapling on the rocky outcropping, he had a birds eye view of the quaint tavern and hotel. Team STRQ and their Professor Arc had been in there all night.

Brunoz was displeased with this assignment, but he was not displeased with the locale at least. He had been scoping the town, noting the market, the smithy, the bookstore; it would be the perfect getaway for him and his boyfriend next month, when he took leave. Azraq loved towns like Burhhurst. He wanted to live in one someday, away from all the hustle and politics of the Kingdoms; and since Azraq was a physician, he would be welcome no matter where he went, so it was quite feasible.

Brunoz could not frown in his hawk form, so he got to settle for looking frustrated. Hawks always look frustrated about something, but he genuinely was overall. Things were complicated in the King's Service. It's not like he could just pick up whenever he wanted and move. He couldn't really travel, and if say, he did go on vacation for a bit, they could recall him at the drop of a pin. He was bound to Vale, whether he wanted to be or not.

Previously, that didn't bother him. He'd always been in the Service. They'd found him as a child, raised him, given him a structure and way of life. They were his family, even if they were a strange, deeply wounded one. He hadn't realized how wounded they were until he had started dating Azraq, and met his family. Then he saw what love was. There was apparently no love in the King's Service.

_Except for Bellicose and Adria. They are true soulmates, and no one can tell me differently_.

Brunoz considered himself a loyal man. Not perhaps a hard man, or a true soldier at heart, but a loyal man. He did what was asked of him, at least. However, as time went on, and the closer he became to Azraq, the more he started to understand the true nature of his predicament.

The King did not care what happened to Brunoz, no matter how loyal or dutiful Brunoz was. The King did not care what happened to all those people in his basement, either, and ultimately, neither did Verdant. No matter what he said.

Brunoz was of the revolutionary opinion that, like any other service in existence, he should be able to retire. Put in a notice. Refuse to reenlist. Walk away without being sniped from an apartment building while he sat across the street at a cafe with Azraq and got his brain matter splattered into the sorbet they were sharing on a summer afternoon-

He shook himself, a frightened cheep escaping his chest. He took a deep breath to calm himself. The sun would rise soon. Smoke was rising from chimneys, and a few people were up and about, trying to get a jump start on the day. He could smell bread baking, and he briefly fantasized about owning his own bakery in a township far, far from the Kingdom of Vale.

Suddenly, movement on the cobbled streets of Burhhurst. He shook away his dreams, fluffing his feathers again to rouse himself. Team STRQ was on the move, trailing miserably after the petite giant marching ahead of them. She barked at them for their sluggishness and the team jumped to follow closer. It seemed they really, actually were determined to go hunting for Wurdalaks. They would have better luck trying to hunt a damned Jabberwocky.

He screed softly in amusement. This was clearly a wild goose chase that their professors had determined to set the troublemakers on, to teach them a lesson. Pretty funny, but that would rain on Regalia's parade; and she hated the mere suggestion of rain anywhere near her parades.

Personally, Brunoz was glad of it. Kidnapping young Hunters and forcing them into the Service or captivity was absurd. Not only absurd, or cruel, but deeply stupid on her part. Drawing the attention of Ozpin would draw the attention of Witchfingers would see them all dead in a mass grave in the woods; and then his noble Majesty would deny they ever lived or worked for him at all.

That and actually baiting one of the most infamous of the Anima tribes with their children's safety? The tribe that had burned Shigatse to the ground for hoarding resources? Who had butchered that Mistralian Councilman and his entire family in their home in the heart of Mistral? It showed just how big Regalia's head had gotten since that stupid promotion. She was a dog chasing a car, and once she caught it, well. Brunoz just hoped he didn't get pulled under the wheels with her.

The fact that Verdant had gone along with this was also a red flag. Verdant's eyes had changed when Regalia and her stooges briefed him, showing several surveillance snaps of team STRQ. For a full minute he had stared at the photographs, almost touching the hologram with his finger tips. Brunoz had not known what to make of his expression, then; but despite the opposition expressed by several other members, Verdant had given Regalia the green light to go ahead.

Bemusedly, Brunoz knew he would have to call headquarters to update them about STRQ's movements. Maybe they'd let him come back once they realized the young Hunters were not nearly so foolish as they had allowed themselves to believe. However, he was not hopeful.

_We are all chasing Wurdalaks today, it seems…_

He took to the blushing skies, following the procession at a distance. Brunoz couldn't see the hungry smiles plastered across team STRQ's faces as they exited the gates.

* * *

_Anima. The Grimm barricade of Chiang Mai's Mh̄ā ṣ̄ers̄ʹṭ̄hī District._

Fortuna yawned, leaning scarred, copper arms across the rough wooden barricade, watching the distant tree-line; they had all been out there earlier, clearing back the brush to make it harder for Grimm and bandits to sneak up to the Settlement's borders. It had taken most of the day. Her arms and back were still desperately sore, and Dust knew she needed a damn drink. However, she needed money first.

Times were rough. They were not just somewhat abrasive, no; times were a sandpaper dildo, no courtesy lube, no kiss good night, _rough_. She'd been blacklisted for the past three years by the Mistralian Council and therefore could barely get hired for proper work anywhere on the continent of Anima; and she would not be able to legally enter most Kingdoms with that black mark hanging over her head, making it impossible to get a job or live anywhere decent. Save for, perhaps, Vacuo; but man, did she have a lot of enemies in Vacuo.

So here she was, trapped on a continent she hated; stuck pulling guard billets and weird jobs in a port town over-run with sex tourists and the sleazy run-off from other Kingdoms, questioning all of her wonderful life choices. She'd seriously considered taking up some less respectable jobs, so she could save up for a complete identity change and just start the fuck over as far from Mistral as possible.

However, the jobs most available (and disturbingly lucrative) for someone in her position weren't exactly killing Grimm or illegally tanking a few murderous hillbillies; but she had not fallen that far yet, and she was bound and determined that she never would.

_No way, no how._

It really was genuinely depressing. She'd become a Huntress originally to help people and keep them safe from monstrous things. But in the end? Fortuna had learned the hard way that it was people that were typically far more repugnant.

She squinted at the tree-line, raising her weapon as the wind picked up and changed directions. She smelled Grimm smoke, faint but lingering. However, there weren't supposed to be any patrols out clearing away the riff raff for another hour. Fortuna frowned. Behind her, her watch-partner was busy fucking about with his scroll, unconcerned. She didn't even bother to see if he was paying attention or not.

The sun was setting. She chewed the plastic- flavored wad of gum in her mouth a little faster as her hazel eyes roved from one shadow to the next. Sunrise and sunset were always dangerous on the wall, because that was when the Grimm got a wild hair up their asses and liked to try some crazy shit. Fortuna had seen some truly bizarre things standing at this very post, more even than the years she'd spent actively Hunting. There was something downright weird about the forests and denizens in south Anima, weirder even than Menagerie, the old forests on Saunus or that stretch of badlands north of Vacuo. Sometimes, she even swore that the Grimm here were smarter than your average dumbass Boarbatusks and Beowolves.

Occasionally, she'd make eye-contact with two red red sparks in the distance, and Fortuna could just _swear_ that they were _thinking_. Not the same kind of "thinking" as an alpha or a Settlement Killer, but some really, calculative shit. She'd say it was something in the water, but it's not like Grimm drank. Maybe it was radioactive Dust crystals from space, or a government bunker underground, testing their new, secret weapons. Whatever it was, it made the barbarian tribes out here? Downright fucking bonkers. Even the normal animals acted funny, sometimes.

The locals even had a lot of legends and fairytales about these woods, too; to account for the strange things that went on in them. One of the more popular tales was that of a curse, laid down upon the forest by a vengeful spirit, or an angry witch (the story often changed) to make the people act like Grimm, and the Grimm like people. Fortuna didn't know about all that; but there was definitely some inexplicable energy about the place, so she couldn't blame people for believing it.

Besides the regular folktales, there were semi-regular reports of normal people going missing entirely, only to reappear days or even weeks later; sometimes alive, other times dead, but with no memory of where they'd been or the time that had passed. The Hunters and law enforcement always blamed the Grimm, or bandits, or trauma, during these cases, even if there was no evidence of such; the locals, though, said it was something else. However, they never really dared name just what 'it' was.

_Government bunkers, I bet my entire ass on it…._

Suddenly, something fast and small darted down from the tree branches and back into the violet shadows of the evening forest. Fortuna stared hard, her eyes roving carefully over the ground as she chewed her gum relentlessly; several minutes passed, and nothing changed, save the sun sinking even lower. She tried to relax as she studied the odd forest, thinking about what Grimm might be roving about under its branches.

Weird or not, there was something pure about a Grimm that she almost preferred to deal with, compared to the other ugliness she encountered in this line of work. A Grimm, despite potential human tampering, was only ever a Grimm. It was single minded in its obsession, uncomplicated. It didn't lie about what it was, or what it did; it didn't destroy your livelihood out of spite or politics. It didn't enslave other Grimm, or rape, or start wars over resources. A Grimm killed people, and that was it.

But people? Humans and faunus? Man, they could do, _would do_, literally anything and everything. People were exhausting, and Fortuna was fucking tired of them. If she could, she would just find a deserted island in the middle of the ocean and live there for the rest of her life. Maybe someday.

She exhaled slowly, thoughts drifting to the tavern near her hostel, when her arms suddenly broke out in gooseflesh. A light in the distance, deep behind the tree-line. Fortuna lifted her binoculars, hunkering down instinctively. It looked like a single lantern. Suddenly, a shout went up along the wall, as hundreds and hundreds of lanterns ignited in the forest like faerie lights.

A breath later, fire Dust rounds, dozens of them, exploded in synchronized succession across the wooden and granite barricade. Smoke promptly obscured visibility along the wall, as the outer layers of pine and spruce caught flame. She tried to get her bulky Hard Light rifle positioned into the sniper bolt closest her, when she felt her goosebumps break out again.

Grimm were charging the barricade in a black mass, writhing over the field with a fervor that nearly made her pause. They were just lower level Beowolves, Creeps, Abus and Boarbatusks by the looks of them, even if there was a lot of the bastards; but scattered intermittently were the unmistakable blurs of Sabres, weaving over the field, dodging bullets and obstacles; Fortuna realized that there was something red and blinking strapped to all of their backs.

"HOLD YOUR FI-" she tried to warn, before the wind was knocked from her lungs.

A high pitched, squealing ring in her hears. Her face and nose hurt, and she'd covered her eyes instinctively with her hands. Her fingers pulled back without the feel of blood, and she felt a bubble of relief rise in her chest. Fortuna's aura had activated after she'd been face planted into the ground, shielding her from the jagged splinters and debris, but not saving her ears from some fresh tinnitus.

She felt more explosions and saw the plumes of yellow and orange, to the north east and then the west; shouts went up in the tree line as the initially Grimm wave slowed down. However, rolling, unnatural smoke was flooding out of the forest now, covering everything.

"Shit! Shit in your mother's ass!" screamed Shojohi, her watch partner. She could barely hear him over her tinnitus, which meant he had to be bellowing his lungs out. He'd started firing wildly at the distant whooping and hollering after he climbed back to his feet, his own forehead bleeding freely. "I fucking loath – _oh you cunts_ – I fucking HAAAATE Branwen!"

_Well shit._

She propped her rifle up on the barricade wall and started carving force-fields into the air, raising temporary, hard light barriers. She could maintain up to fifteen at a time, and switch between field creation and the regular Dust ammunition barrel. One of her simplest, yet most effective, strategies was just trapping a group of people or Grimm in a quickly made box and shooting them all a second later.

However, she knew from experience that this would make her an immediate target for the raiders below. Not only was she a complete pain in the ass for any people trying to approach a fortified encampment, but Hard Light Dust was a considerable prize in these parts; her rifle would sell for an exorbitant amount on any market. She even had to make the ammunition herself. The only reason she hadn't sold it by now was for the slowly shrinking nugget of sentimental value and social status it used to represent.

"Shojo!" she shouted, ducking down as a bullet rushed by out of the smoke.

"Your fathers all impregnated sheep, you Grimm humping beast-tards!"

Fortuna rolled her eyes.

"Shojohi!"

"What?!" he screamed, firing off a furious stream of bullets before ducking down himself. "Finger a whore's slit, Fortuna, I'm busy!"

"We need-" Fortuna was cut off as the barricade shook with several more impacts. "-to move!"

"Not before I shoot the tits off that black-pubed, faunus loving, Nevermore fucking, sow of a-"

The wall shook again, as yet another merry monster cat exploded against it. She could hear sirens going off in the Settlement and knew that neighboring Districts would soon take measures to seal themselves off from the compromised Mh̄ā ṣ̄ers̄ʹṭ̄hī District. In the streets below, she could hear drunks shoving and stumbling out of their watering holes and strip clubs, slurring panicked pleas at the police who were trying to shove them out of the way of the firefighters and the equally inebriated Hunters who had, also, been visiting their favorite spots when shit popped off.

_Here they come, and I'm stuck up here with this idiot. He's going to get me killed._

"-DO YOU IMBREEDS HEAR ME?! Come get a taste of a real man's cock!"

Large swathes of the barricade were now on fire, even as the teams that patrolled the wall tried to extinguish it with water and a few lucky Semblances. The regular guardsmen were firing gunpowder bullets into the swarm, for gods sakes. Chiang Mai had next to nothing in terms of Dust stores, let alone anti-Grimm defense systems, largely due to issues with the Settlement's love of embezzlement and poor distribution of resources. That's why they cheerfully hired so many blacklisted Hunters to patrol their boundaries and do their dirty work; all that desperate muscle typically made up for it.

The problem with that strategy, however, is that blacklisters are all technically mercenaries, with only their lives left to lose. Behind them, Mh̄ā ṣ̄ers̄ʹṭ̄hī District, also known as the rich man's playground, was full of fat, wealthy tourists and hilariously discrete businessmen from Mistral and Atlas, enjoying the lax rules of the literal playground Chiang Mai's ruling elite had crafted for them. Every single one of those buildings were full of the sorts of people who had ultimately betrayed Hunters like Fortuna and Shojohi to begin with.

"Oi mate!" a voice called up from below "Come let me get some of that dick then!"

"S'it cock tasting hours already?!" yelped another. "Alright! Come on then, lads!"

"Get in line, bangers!" growled a third.

"But Natey, the _early birds_ get the worm!"

"I'll get your worm if you don't fuckin move!"

"Oohoho yes! Harder, papa bear!"

"Quit it!"

_They're climbing the wall. The only reason they'd bother climbing the wall here, when there's several smoking holes in it further along, would be to take me and my rifle out of the equation as quick as possible; and Shojohi's screaming is just going to keep pulling more and more of them._

As Shojohi howled in fury, a stream of epithets flowing freely from his mouth, Fortuna continued to raise hard-light barriers; but at a much slower, thoughtful pace. She could abandon her post and go try to patch up the holes in the wall, but the sound of screaming and snarling indicated that there was a fight already engaged at the breach. If she went there, she'd just make herself a target; they'd kill her and still take the damn rifle. The billowing smoke from the explosions and shadows had completely obscured her field of vision beyond a few feet, and she was coughing freely.

Her Semblance relied on her touching the bare skin of another person and allowed her to paralyze one individual at a time. It was useful in specific scenarios, but not in large numbers like this, when everyone was wearing body armor; and it was useless against Grimm.

_I knew I should have gone into Dust Engineering-_

Her thoughts screeched to a halt as Shojohi stuck his head over the barricade and tossed a Dust grenade down, into the invisible, whooping demons below.

"Suck that then!"

Fortuna felt panic blossom under her green chest plate, eyes shooting wide in the smoke.

"No – Shojo, you idiot!" she coughed.

"Ok!" laughed a voice from the dark. The Dust grenade came back up, bouncing and rolling towards Shojohi's boots. In the sky above, a Nevermore screamed its violent song. Fortuna didn't hesitate, pointing the muzzle of her rifle towards Shojo and firing; a Hard Light barrier sprang up between them both as the grenade burst.

The force of the grenade eventually broke through the field, sending glittering clusters of Dust infused nanobots scattering to the wind; however, most of the explosion was redirected instead in the other direction. Shojohi was shredded pork barbeque, smeared along the walkway; what was left of his intestines dangled over the edge of another sizable hole appeared in the barricade, and the battlefield rose in noise and ferocity at the result. Fortuna coughed, stumbling to her feet, aura blazing.

In the parting smoke, she saw several figures pulling themselves up, utilizing anything from weapons to grappling hooks. She fired off another barrier, sealing them off from herself, turned and ran in the other direction. If she could reach the stairs or a safe place to jump from the wall to a rooftop below, then perhaps she could regroup with the raging clusterfuck that was Chiang Mai's security force.

_Or maybe, it was time to simply cut her losses and get the fuck out of dodge? It's not like they paid her enough to deal with this and she could just _feel_ the other mercenaries bolting for cover already._

She skidded to a stop just in time. A blade curved out of the smoke to her left, as a black shadow vaulted out of the smoke and over the wall. Fortuna saw a white Grimm mask and knew-

_Shit, shit, shit!_

-that she was going to die if she fought back.

The person staring at her – through her, into her- was covered head to toe in black, grey and red armor and body paint. The Grimm helm was pale as corpse bones. Fortuna could not see the eyes of the person behind the infamous skull mask, and their hair was hidden by a cowl of Nevermore feathers. But they were wielding rather infamous twin green Dust blades.

Fortuna took a slow breath, before she set the rifle down without taking her eyes off the Morrigan, raising her hands carefully.

"Take it."

The Morrigan tilted her head, staring at her.

"I don't want to fight for them. Just…take the damn thing."

_That part of my life has brought me nothing but trouble anyways._

The wall shook. She could hear Grimm pouring into the streets behind her and could not find it in herself to care. A green katana blade rested under her chin suddenly, as the Morrigan knelt to take the rifle and stand once again; the Hard Light rifle, which Fortuna had never bequeathed with a name, was tossed to waiting hands behind her shoulders. There was a short pause, but it felt like an eternity.

"Go. Tell everyone you meet what you saw here," voiced the helmet. Despite the echo, the voice was almost lyrical.

Then the raiders were gone, vaulting wildly down into the churning, smoke covered chaos below, taking her rifle and the last vestige of her previous life with them.

Fortuna didn't look back once.

...

Thanks to WhatOtherPlanet for the beta, and all ya'll for stickin around. I'll try to have next chapter out soon. Again, take of yourselves, yea?


	21. Chapter 21

Eclipse

Chapter 21

The Raid Part II: Gheists and Ghouls

...

"_The King's Services chain of command will be the biggest threat to this operation, because they have insight into your multiple factions and their modus operandi. But unfortunately for them, so do I. I will take measures to keep them occupied. Bureaucracy is a very obnoxious but potent weapon, you know?"_

…

"This is...is he _serious_?"

Regalia stared in shock at the paperwork before her. The room was solem. Silent. Across from her, Bellicose sat smoking a cigarette and reading through their own copy of the summons. She wished they'd put it out, but they could be stubborn about their vices and Adria was the only one who could legitimately convince them to do anything. Even though Regalia technically outranked them.

They ashed once, a wry look on their sharp, brown face. They almost looked impressed. Regalia fought the urge to crumple up the papers and throw them out the window. Unfortunately, they did not have a window, because they were technically underground.

"He can't be serious. We were in the _Kingdom of Vale_, not anywhere close to - this is preposterous."

"Welp. Accordin to this, he might actually have a case," grimaced Alwyn, shaking his shaggy head. "Beacon technically still owns the entire park, just leaves it open for the public. See, the Natural Museum of Dust and Hunter History belongs to them too-"

"Nobody living knows this tripe!" exclaimed Rosemary, the youngest and most recent full fledged member of the Service. Her raspberry locks of hair were wild, nealy obscuring her vision. "There isn't even a placard, or a neon sign, nothing to declare it as -what is that stupid phrase, oh- 'an off campus extention of Beacon's grounds'! If this were true, then it should be marked as such-"

"It's true," Bellicose sighed, ashing again. The table quieted briefly, coming to terms with how deeply they had stepped in it. "Ozpin wouldn't make a move like this based on a total falsehood. And Adria checked the old records in the palace. The park still definitely belongs to the school. So do a lot of odd little gifts throughout Vale, in fact."

Regalia felt a flutter of panic rise in her chest, but quelled it forcefully.

"But would he really go to bat for _them_? In front of the Council?" Alwyn asked incredulously, his voice rough from lack of sleep. "He tryin to play chicken with us, you think? Or might he actually mean it?"

If Ozpin drug Verdant and Regalia before the Council of Vale, on the pretense of beginning an assault on his students on Beacon grounds, then eventually the reason Regalia had felt it necessary to go after team STRQ would be made known. The identity of skinchangers and magic would become compromised, and the Council would be able to use that knowledge to their own benefit. The Service skinchangers would no longer be His Majesty's secret weapons; and the effects this would have on the world at large would be impossible to fully predict.

_If the average person learned that there are other means besides just biological reality to gain power, then civilization as we know it could be brought to its knees..._

"Neither, Alwyn. I think he's trying to distract us," Bellicose smirked, finally putting their cigarette out. As they pulled their pack out of their suit pocket, Regalia glared at them. They rolled their eyes and stuck a new cancerstick between their lips, mercifully unlit. "By revealing his hand like this, Ozpin is declaring a) I know what my students are and I don't very well care. And b) the King can't have them. However, we know that he is just as invested as we are in keeping the knowledge of magic out of the public eye. He won't take this before the Council."

"How can you be sure though?" Rosemary groaned. "He's a stuffy ole nerd in a tower by day, but a seemingly omniscient busy body by night! Who knows what he's really thinking!?"

Regalia strode towards the wall that they had collectively transformed into their logistics board, amber eyes flitting across the faces there. Her mouth parted in thought, before she closed it.

"Why, he's thinking he has us in check, of course," Regalia declared, her back to the room. "But in his overconfidence, he's left his queen vulnerable."

She turned back to her coworkers, a smile gracing her face. Rosemary and Alwyn exchanged confused glances, while Bellicose smirked and lit their damn cigarette.

"And everyone knows, you never sacrifice your queen for just a few rooks, right?" Regalia returned to the table. "I say we answer his bluff with one of our own. Alwyn, you and Adria get the paperwork together to subpoena Arc through the BTF's channels. We'll see just what Ozpin thinks about that."

Alwyn nodded, pulling up his scroll and messaging Adria in the archive.

"Don't we need some...evidence first?" Rosemary faltered, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly. "Otherwise we'll just look like assholes to everyone-"

Regalia sighed, trying to keep the condescension from her voice.

"Rosemary. We aren't going to actually disgrace the woman publicly. Any conflict that comes of this will remain behind the veil, as always. It would do more harm than good for the public's faith to be shaken in one of their heroes."

"Joan should have stayed in her lane," Bellicose shook their head, smoke rolling from their nostrils. They looked legitimately sad. "Pity."

"Joan should have maintained her damn integrity!" Regalia snapped. Bellicose blinked, raising an eyebrow at her tone. Regalia reigned herself back in. "It's disgraceful. And it's not the job of the Service to police the damn Hunters anyways."

"Speakin which," Alwyn drawled, still typing away rapidly. "Should we request assistance from the Witchfingers?"

Regalia stared at him as if he'd grown a second head out of his rear. Alwyn didn't bother to look up, but addressed her anyways.

"What? Potential corruption case involving a Huntress this high up? Involvin one their own fallen? Sounds like their territory if you ask me."

"I didn't ask you though, Alwyn," Regalia glared.

"Aight. But. I'm still right."

Bellicose actually had the gall to laugh. Regalia shot them a look and they coughed, hiding their smirk behind their tattooed hand.

"...you may have a point, yes," she admitted, glancing back at the wall. "But Dust, do I hate Witchfingers."

"Well, yea, same," Alwyn finally finished typing and set his scroll down. "They're vestigial creeps with no real reason to exist anymore-"

"Oooh, vestigial. Nice one."

"Thanks, Rosemary. But some of em owe us for sure," Alwyn shrugged his large shoulders. "And there'll be plenty wantin revenge on Nwyfre. Just gotta be very selective who we involve."

Regalia tapped her chin in thought, turning back to the board to stare at the beaming wolf faunus girl's headshot.

"Tormund Rindvallis's adopted daughter is on team STRQ. She's their leader, in fact."

Bellicose's pink eyes lit up as they finally kicked their feet off the conference table.

"Do you think he's involved?" Bellicose smiled hungrily. "Because if so, then this will give us a beautiful opportunity to take the son of a bitch down."

Regalia considered the question. The Witchfingers were the natural opposition of the King's Service. They didn't answer to King or Council to the same extent that all the other judicial branches did; they could only be officially summoned, dismissed or brought to task by a "Townhall" or "moot" led by selected district representatives of the citizens, who held no public office outside the moot. It was archaic bullshit that let them get up to all sorts of things.

Originally Witchfingers had arisen to become the avenging angels of the oppressed Sanus population, centuries before, when a Valish King had succumbed to greed and cruelty. But they had hung on to power, even once their usefulness and the need for them had faded. They could be called on to hunt Grimm in desperate times, but mostly focused on renegade Hunters, dirty cops, the lingering slave trade or villains whose Semblances threatened Sanus or all of Remnant. In her mind, these were all things that Hunters could ultimately accomplish on their own, and be less uppity about it to boot. Verdant had once said that Witchfingers were the most dangerous parasites in the world. Regalia agreed.

"Unfortunately, I think not," Regalia declared after a long pause. She moved towards the electric tea kettle and poured some more hot water in her mug. "Tormund has lost several of his own people to Nwyfre's blade in the attempt to subdue her, and Dust knows that lot doesn't forgive anything. I honestly think his daughter is being duped."

_Devious crimson eyes taunting her, unrepentant even in the face of defeat-_

Regalia shook the unpleasant memory away.

_Yes. I could see that one pulling the wool over that poor faunus's eyes and delighting in it. _

"So, if he becomes aware of this, do you think we could count on his assistance?" asked Rosemary, eyes bright.

"Potentially. The old bastard isn't a fan of Ozpin either, as far as I know," Bellicose pondered. "He haaates having to send his children to Beacon, too. I imagine finding out that the school and his daughter's team have been compromised by bandits will do nothing to endear Ozpin or Joan to him."

"Update from Brunoz," grunted Alwyn, his obscured brown and blue eyes glued to his scroll once more. "Mm."

Regalia held her hands at rest behind the small of her back, cocking her head towards her colleague.

"Yes?"

"Not good."

"Do share, why don't you?" Bellicose invited.

Alwyn grunted again before projecting his scroll's screen over the conference table; the lights dimmed to accommodate. .

"Brunoz finally made contact with Adria three minutes ago, havin been tailin team STRQ and Joan from Beacon to a destination outside Vale," Alwyn droned. "They're apparently not just on an overnight trainin exercise, or plannin to intercept us as we had hoped; but have officially claimed a huntin billet in the township of Burhhurst-"

"Oh noooo," groaned Rosemary, tugging anxiously at her earrings.

Regalia's jaw tightened.

"-led by Joan Arc, with team STRQ shadowing her. Apparently, get this, on a hunt for Wurdalaks. Estimated time til their return to Vale's bout a week."

"I'm sorry, but….Wurdalaks?!" Rosemary yowled, incredulous. "Wurdalaks aren't even real, are they?!"

"No," snorted Alwyn. "They're mockin us intentionally with this shit."

_Delighted and cruel crimson eyes, taunting and taunting._

"And Ozpin's summons will drop on the Council's plush little laps in about three days unless we submit," laughed Bellicose, shaking their head. "We should have seen this coming."

"Um," asked Rosemary. "But the _prisoner transfer_ is in like-"

"Yes," grimaced Alwyn. Bellicose kept chuckling and nodding, sardonically mocking the situation.

"Oh," chirped Rosemary, blinking. "Can we still subpoena Arc at least? Buy ourselves some time?"

"No. Not when she's outside Kingdom territory," Regalia declared, keeping the acid from her tone despite her mounting frustration. She was not one to take her frustrations out on her people if she could help it; that was unbecoming. "Burhhurst is precisely three hundred and fifty kilometers out from Vale, and considered a stand alone township we trade with; not a Settlement extension of Vale. So they are now beyond our jurisdiction and under the laws of Mare Liberum. And no one except the Witchfingers can start an investigation based on corruption charges for a Huntress when they are actively engaged in a hunt, because it would endanger the lives of citizens she's protecting should she be suddenly pulled off it."

"Doin it by the book should be out," Alwyn growled, heterochromatic eyes finally flashing out from beneath the gray mop of hair hanging over his brow. "We should ditch this bait n switch scheme, Lieutenant, and scoop them up in the wilds. Fewer witnesses, plenty of potential causes for a disappearance-"

"Not for a Huntress like Joan," Bellicose drawled, finishing another cigarette. "There will be an immediate investigation to rule out the kind of Grimm threat that could have actually overwhelmed her, and once they determine the area safe in terms of Grimm, they'll start looking much deeper. The right person with a specialty Semblance could ruin us."

"Holy shit, think I don't know all that?" Alwyn snapped.

"No, I don't think you do," Bellicose laughed, earning a growl. "These aren't some drug addled murderers we can just stuff in a sack and make disappear, Al, or some scruffy toddlers. That woman would have half the Hunter community out looking for her. And if Tormund's daughter went missing? All the Witchfingers in the surrounding area would sweep the area a hundred times. That's a bit problematic, don't you think?"

"That shit's gonna happen anyways," Alwyn looked away, meeting Regalia's stare. Accusing.

Bellicose raised their palms and tipped their head, kicking their feet back up on the conference table. Their expression was clearly 'You said it, not me'.

_They are losing faith in my ability to pull this off. I need to remind them why we're doing this. _

"Not in an environment under our dominion it won't," Regalia insisted, confidence bleeding into her voice. "We can control more factors here, where we have the resources and backing we need. And we're only taking the skinchangers. As far as we know, the other two are innocent of any crime save bad luck."

_I've already run background checks on them, after all. Clean, upstanding records, despite the boy's unfortunate choice in a tattoo. Meanwhile, Raven and Qrow do not exist at all. Imagine that. _

"I know this is putting ourselves out there in terms of risk, but please ask yourselves: would it not be worth it? To be the ones to finally bring the Branwen to heel?" Regalia asked.

There was some hesitation around the table. Rosemary and Bellicose seemed to be weighing the idea, while Alwyn remained stubborn.

"Nwyfre Donovan represents everything rotten in the heart of the world. She betrayed her Kingdom, her license, everything she ever stood for, even if she was just a damn Witchfinger," Regalia insisted, pacing along the length of the table, her boots silent. "When these vermin murder_ our_ people on _our_ highways. When they steal food from our citizens mouths. When they burn our buildings down - who do you think inspires their black little hearts the most? The one who we _all know _was actually responsible for Mountain Glenn, of course."

Rosemary opened her mouth, met Regalia's eyes and then tactfully shut it.

"We know. You know. Everyone knows, deep down. We aren't safe from the Branwen just because they're on the other side of the world! They aren't just Anima's problem. They're our problem too, because that bitch has long claws," Regalia placed her foot on the chair next to her, resting her forearms on her thigh. "And she's not going to rest until she makes every gentle thing within her reach bleed."

"I mean. Her agents _were_ there," Bellicose hemmed, their eyes glancing to the side in consideration. "With the girl's Semblance connecting them directly…"

Alwyn's face darkened considerably, while Rosemary fidgeted more and more.

"Exactly. Everywhere that girl goes, Nwyfre Donovan has direct access to. Really take a moment to think about that," Regalia lifted her palms.

Silence.

"Imagine when she becomes a licensed Huntress, with access to some of the highest government buildings, the very hearts of vulnerable towns - hell! She could waltz her devilish little way into the middle of the_ Vale_ uncontested and unleash a barbarian horde without warning. Or worse: a pack of Grimm."

A collection of winces met her words.

"We cannot afford to hold back and let these people slip through our grasp," Regalia insisted, her voice urgent. "Because it will cost us Valish lives in the future, I guarantee it. And that? That is not acceptable to me."

Alwyn and Bellicose were nodding in agreement. Meanwhile, Rosemary hesitated.

"But I thought….," Rosemary trailed off momentarily, before gaining some courage. "I thought Verdant wanted to recruit the twins? He thinks we can rehabilitate them. Are you planning on killing them, Reggie?"

_Rehabilitate? Oh Verdant, we'd have a better chance of turning those MacMillan louts into something useful…_

"Only if I must," Regalia said solemnly. "If we can convince them to denounce their leader and atone for their crimes by entering the service, then they'd be very useful. The brother especially. But so long as Nwyfre lives? That girl will be a liability. And she isn't going to turn easily, you didn't confront her like I did, Rosemary."

"...I mean, I kinda did," Rosemary muttered as she glanced away, her golden complexion darkening in embarrassment.

Before Regalia could comment on _that_ little slip up, a chime echoed in the conference room, and the four of them glanced up expectantly. Adria's hologram appeared a moment later; Bellicose's face broke out in a sly smirk.

"Hey Addy."

"Hey Bell, put those fucking cigarettes away, yea?" Adria said as a part of the pair's ritual greeting.

"Sure, sure."

Regalia shot Bellicose an irritated look when they actually complied, stuffing the cigarettes in their suit pocket.

"So! Good news, or bad news first?" Adria asked the room.

"Good news!" Rosemary pleaded. "Pleaaase."

"Ha, there isn't any! Sorry new kid!"

Bellicose immediately started laughing, as Alwyn groaned.

"Addy please," sniffled Rosemary.

"Aww, I'm sorry sugarrrr. But no, it's all bad. See, for yourselves."

A video shot from somebody's scroll popped up, along with several Mistrali news websites that were rapidly updating, describing the situation playing out before them. Regalia felt her blood run cold. Then, she got angry.

The room had fallen silent again, as they watched the assault on Chiang Mai. Grimm in the streets, entire portions of their barricade ablaze, bandits whooping into businesses, robbing, killing. An entire district was dissolving into chaos. And stalking about the streets, bold as she well pleased, was unmistakably Nwyfre Donovan, adorned in helmet, swords, feathers and all.

"Those fuckin ghouls," growled Alwyn at last. Regalia was glad that she was not the only one taking this very personally.

"Yea, she's not only NOT coming to our quinceaneras," Addy interrupted the feed. "She is blatantly cheating on us, right this second, with that slut Chiang Mai. And you know? She's not even that pretty."

Bellicose bit their hand to keep from laughing, looking away as Alwyn sighed long sufferingly.

"Adria, could you briefly pretend to have, just, a microdosage of social consciousness?" Regalia grit out.

"Haha, sorry, Reggie," Adria beamed like the little gremlin she was. "Anyways, if miss Morrigan has gotten wind of the bait we left out for her, then she's completely not interested - and wow, look at that? That is gross. Wow."

Rosemary looked green about the gills, and glanced purposefully away.

"Maybe she even prompted Joan and STRQ to take to the hills, while Ozpin held down the fort?" Bellicose hummed. "Or perhaps we really did overestimate her concern for her agents?"

"Maybe! Probably figured out what we were planning, and this is her big middle finger to us, I guess. You know, my feelings are almost hurt?"

"Aww. Shall I kiss it better?" hummed Bellicose.

"Stop it," scolded Alwyn.

The pair ceased, eyes round and innocent for only a moment. Adria mouthed 'maybe later' at Bellicose, before looking Regalia's way. Her irreverent smile became slightly awkward, likely due to the very apparent anger on Regalia's face.

"I need to brief Verdant and his Majesty," Regalia said, her voice dangerously collected as she lifted a finger to point at the violence on screen. "But that right there? That's what we are preventing from happening in our very own streets. Do you all understand?"

Nervous and grave nods from around the room. Even Adria refrained from a smartassed salute, as Regalia left the conference room, a firestorm brewing behind her eyes.

...

* * *

_"Because of the paramount need for discretion, you will not be able to openly use your Semblances. At least not where people or cameras can see you. Even with my assistance, you will be forced to rely on other, nondescript weaponry and only in extremity. Fortunately, Tormund has plenty available to him. None of it will likely be registered."_

* * *

...

"-and this is my kakute collection, I want all of you to take several. These little babies inject a special paralyzing agent that isn't even hampered by aura-"

"Dad."

"-I actually designed it myself, but don't worry! Completely untraceable, and these aren't company issue for Witchfingers, so they won't recognize the bite marks! OH. And here, yes, Nwyfre you'll really like this one, I've been wanting to use this!"

"Dad."

"Dust infused camouflage foils! Very cool, yea? See how they bend the light when you engage your aura? Hahaha! No one will see you coming, not that they usually do-

"DAD."

" - Yes, my little avenger!?"

Tormund spun, his massive beard unable to conceal the near boyish enthusiasm at sharing his toys. Summer's face was torn between bemusement and fond exasperation. Raven fought the powerful urge to laugh.

They were all laden with far too many murder sticks and gagetry to know what to do with, let alone move stealthily or break into an underground bunker. Even Professor Arc looked a bit strained under the mountain, and was casting forlorn eyes towards her simple sword and shield. Nwyfre had accepted everything Tormund handed her, but set it purposefully on the table behind her in an organized sequence.

"Ah. Perhaps that is too much."

"Only a little," Summer smiled. It looked strained, and the sentiment didn't reach her eyes. Raven wasn't sure if it was the ridiculous amount of gear that was causing that look on her face, or the stress of organizing a raid with the combined assistance of Tormund, Nwyfre and Joan. Either way, ever since Burhhurst, Summer had radiated an unusual amount of tension, and the rest of her team kept picking up on it.

Taiyang raised a hand after a moment. Tormund turned towards him.

"I have a solution."

"I like solutions," Tormund grinned, feral. "What is it?"

Taiyang pointed down to his cargo pockets, having forgone the fannypack for this adventure. Qrow started to laugh, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Observe," Taiyang stuck his entire arm into his pants pocket, waved around, and pulled out a fishing rod, a basket full of puppy toys, and a life size, cardboard cutout of a local Valish celebrity named Lommy Tiseau. "And that's not all! I could honestly fit a whole tank in this bad boy."

"Is that a _tank _in your pants? Or are you just happy to commit a felony with me?" Raven asked slyly, glancing his way.

"Oooh, how risque, Rae! But sorry, for more info, you'll have to ask your mo-"

Qrow slapped a life saving palm over his partner's mouth, eyes wide in horror. Summer laughed nervously, exchanging spooked looks with Raven; Taiyang, meanwhile, realized how perilously close he'd come to making his last mom joke and had gone rather pale despite his hearty farmer's tan. None of them dared look Nwyfre's way. Summer coughed awkwardly.

"So uh, yea! Let's um, divvy up these bois, huh?!" Tai finally clapped his hands, blue eyes wide. "Pocket dimensions for everyone! You get a pocket dimension, you get a pocket dimension-"

Nwyfre remained stoically silent in the corner, going through the deadly accouterments she'd laid out before her with business like focus. Tormund meanwhile continued to look completely nonplussed, even as Taiyang distributed pocket dimensions.

It was several minutes before they were interrupted by Tormund's scroll going off. The ringtone made Raven pause from organizing her own accouterments next to Summer, and the girls shared another incredulous look.

"Psst, is that a boyband cover?" Taiyang whispered conspiratorially. Tormund waved at him to be silent.

"Speak," Tormund's voice dropped into a mountainous growl.

Summer looked up at her, and mimicked her father's 'serious' face; Raven bit her lip to keep from snickering, which of course only encouraged Summer to keep making faces at her. To be honest, Raven was just glad that her partner was acting less stressed than she had a few minutes previously.

_I wish she'd just tell me what's wrong, instead of burying it. But now probably isn't the time to ask._

Raven smeared her palm playfully over her girlfriend's face and pulled away, watching Tormund. Nwyfre had focused on the conversation immediately, pausing in her organization to move closer to the much larger Witchfinger. Watching the two reunite and interact had been bizarre to say the least.

STRQ and Joan had come through the portal from Burhhurst into Tormund's safehouse. The scene had not been what Raven had been expecting, and she was still not sure what to make of it. The two had been sitting at a kitchen table, drinking coffee and catching up on the latest innovations for Dust applicators in the weapons industry. Tormund had even waved cheerfully at them when they came in. It had seemed a little too casual.

After a moment, Nwyfre moved away from Tormund and his conversation, gesturing to her. Raven nodded, focusing on her connection to Ciara; the bond responded, a bubble of impish joy rising in her chest, and a vortex sprang across the undecorated wall.

The pair of them strode through to meet Ciara in the wasteland; the silence between them had grown awkward again. Ever since Raven had threatened to kick Nwyfre off the raid, her mother had kept her more venomous commentary to herself; or had at least focused on the details of the plan instead.

Nwyfre was staring at the odd structure in the distance that sometimes appeared in the wasteland, when the opposing portal rippled; and out popped "the Morrigan". Raven smirked as Ciara laughed, trotting across the sand to the pair of them; she smelled like smoke, blood and Grimm, and made a menacing Morrigan with the extra feathers and streaks of bodypaint covering what armor could not.

"There's my girls!" Ciara whooped, wrapping her arms around them both and pulling them into a crushing hug. "What's with those dreary faces?! I thought you two'd be having so much fun!"

Nwyfre and Raven exchanged uncomfortable glances, and cleared their throats at the same time. Ciara pulled back a little, blue eyes peering out through the slits; it was truly bizarre to see her wearing the helm.

"Gah, have you two been fighting _again_? Do I need to separate ya?" Ciara squinted at them, retaining most of her playfulness. There was some steel under tha tone, however.

"No."

"Maybe."

Raven's eyes widened in surprise at that comment.

"How are things on your end?" Nwyfre asked quickly.

"Fantastiiiic~" Ciara shook both their shoulders gently. "You should let me play dress up more often!"

Nwyfre's brow quirked.

"Oh?"

"Not like that, ya boob," Ciara scoffed. Raven grimaced, forcing the unwelcome imagery away. "Anyways! Got your man what he wanted! And we've got a fresh batch of recruits - not much Dust, unfortunately, but I did nab a really nice prize for you love, here-"

Ciara shoved her arm back through the portal, and came back with a Hard Light Dust rifle; Raven stared in shock as the item was shoved in her hands. A weapon like this cost an obscene amount of lien.

"-you can use that for your raid! And here is Van's get."

She pulled several black cases through. Raven was not entirely sure what was in there, but she had a few theories. She glanced back down at the Hunter weapon resting in her palms.

"Ah. Cici?"

"Yes love!"

"This rifle might be too distinct to use," Raven started, her voice apologetic. "It's likely registered in the Hunter's weapons database, and could be linked to someone in Chiang Mai, connecting the events."

Ciara paused, her shoulders drooping somewhat.

"Aww?"

Raven shuffled, looking at the rifle. It was magnificent.

"I'm sorry. Perhaps you guys should sell or trade it for something good for the tribe? Or just keep it?"

"Yeaa, guess we could sell it. Keepin it would get pricey," Ciara sighed, patting her shoulder. "Ah well."

"Hmm. Maybe we could get a tank?" Nwyfre suggested dryly, tapping her chin. Raven glared at her, spotting the twitch of a smile there.

"Goddess, the fuck would we do with a bloody tank?" Ciara laughed. "Could you honestly imagine tryin to upkeep the bastard?"

Nwyfre started to chuckle as Raven rolled her eyes.

"Alright, gotta go, I love you Cici," she hugged her other mother quickly. Ciara promptly squished her back.

"I love you too, don't die-

Raven coughed as her ribs compressed.

"I won't."

"-and hug your brother for me."

"I will. You guys be careful."

Ciara had mercy on her lungs and finally released Raven with a wink and wave as she left through the adjacent portal. It was weird hearing her voice echoing in the helm.

"Now, where's the fun in that eh? Love ya both!"

Silence again. Raven helped Nwyfre carry the heavy cases across the rust colored sand.

"Who taught you about the weapons register for Hunters? They don't usually mention that so early in training."

Raven rolled her eyes, but didn't look askance, focusing on the goal before them.

"You did."

Nwyfre paused briefly, her face surprisingly hesitant.

"I did? When?"

_What, does she expect me to believe she's going senile? Honestly._

"Tch, years ago now."

Nwyfre actually smiled a little.

"Huh. And you actually listened?"

"Mom, seriously? Like you don't remember?" Raven sighed in exasperation. "You've made your point-"

"I don't! I really don't remember that!" Nwyfre insisted with a laugh and shook her head. "You're young, you have a better memory than I do. And that was a good catch on your part with the rifle."

"You would have caught it," Raven grumbled.

Nwyfre shrugged, tossing her dreads over her shoulder as she carried the heavy cases through the vortex.

"Maybe. But you still caught it first."


	22. Chapter 22

Music Choices: Get Your Riot Gear by Five Iron Frenzy

Eclipse

Chapter 22

The Raid Part III: Mirror-ways

Regalia took a moment to inhale deeply, steadying herself, before swinging the doors open with a brisk shove; she briefly noticed the Semblance wards placed upon the stone floor and door frame flashing, before fading once again. His Majesty, Chrysós Loptormr the Third, the ruling King of Vale and Golden Cloak of the Saunus territories, was an intimidating man during the best of times.

This wasn't due to him performing intimidating mannerisms, nor was it simply the nature of his station; the man simply exuded authority and noblesse no matter what he was doing, like a physical force similar to aura. Regalia had never become immune to it, despite her years in the Service. The King was the King for a reason, though whether the crown imbued him with authority, or he it, was an argument for another time.

His Majesty Chrysós was currently seated at the end of the hall, head bent in swift conversation with Verdant as they spoke across the table. Verdant Crom Cruach, her mentor and senior in rank, was a man of a very different cut altogether and seeing the pair side by side was always an odd contrast.

Chrysós was a man approaching his fifties, who looked like a man approaching his forties. He dressed modestly but still had the bearing of someone who'd walked straight out of a 6th century painting of the Valish noblesse. It wasn't simply his mannerisms, features or how he spoke; it was his everything. Naturally, his demeanor never failed to infuriate the Council, who had over the centuries dedicated themselves to the task of defanging and domesticating the Kings and Queens of Vale in the name of 'progress'.

However, where Chrysós was all bright golds, browns and greens, Verdant was the forest floor at night. One could not help but look at Chrysós when they entered a room, it was an impossible task to avoid. However, Verdant could stand next to you and you might not notice, if he didn't want you to; if the skinchanger grew still enough at times, Regalia swore he could nearly disappear.

He was a lean, vaguely middle aged man, with rust colored eyes and pale skin; but instead of highlighting these attributes, where he might stand out, he subdued them. Verdant never dressed impractically, or in a way that would stand out beyond the average person on the street. He could walk into a crowd of civilians and utterly disappear, and that was without using a Semblance. It was a feat that few other members of the Service could fully pull off so naturally.

Verdant was the first to glance her way when she entered, sending her his familiarly amused, but tired smile. His Majesty waved her on before she had a chance to succumb to much pageantry, clearly already irritated by whatever conversation they were having. She had noted that even His Majesty's ever-present bodyguards were not hiding in the eves. Her curiosity was piqued.

"Lieutenant," His Majesty nodded once, turning his attention back to Verdant. "Good, have a seat please. Perhaps you can help me convince this fool that tangling with Ozpin right now is not actually in our best interests?"

Regalia pulled herself out of a quick bow, glancing quickly between the two as she took up besides Verdant.

"Your Majesty, I wouldn't claim to be able to convince Verdant of anything," she admitted, wanting no part of the argument.

"What? I'm not reasonable?" Verdant drawled, amusement flickering across his nearly gaunt features. Regalia made the wise decision to hold her tongue.

"No, you are not reasonable," the King insisted. His voice was coated in some humor, however.

"How hurtful," Verdant sighed, shaking his head. "Regalia, I'm gonna take a wild guess that you're here with bad news?"

She paused for a moment.

"It's bad, yes. But-"

"Buuut?" Verdant's brow rose a fraction.

"But I believe we can still succeed," Regalia stated firmly.

"Ah, see? If the Lieutenant believes we can succeed, then so do I," Verdant smiled.

The King looked deeply bemused by his servants, and Regalia fought the urge to smooth her overcoat.

"Lieutenant," the King exhaled, clearly having his patience tested. "Please report."

She cleared her throat ever so slightly before diving in.

"An Anima Settlement called Chiang Mai is currently under siege from Branwen raiders," Regalia started, her voice becoming rapidly more confident as she fell into the familiar. "And Nwyfre Donovan has been sighted, in person and by camera, physically leading the raid. It is unlikely at this point that she is interested in mounting a rescue attempt, nor is capable, considering she'd be leaving the majority of her people in the lurch. We're still trying to get more intel on what inspired their raid, but all normal channels coming out of Chiang Mai have been delayed in reporting."

Verdant's eyes narrowed at this, but he did not interrupt her.

"We still have the faux prisoner move scheduled for tomorrow night, and we have the manning to lay the bait without leaving our actual assets exposed," Regalia continued coolly, keeping her feverish desire for the hunt out of her voice. "I'm still not fully convinced they won't show up, considering what we know of them from other bureaus. However, whether Nwyfre Donovan or any of her miscreants decide to show face tomorrow is irrelevant. Right now, it is my genuine belief that our most pressing threat is her two skin-changer agents who are already within our walls."

The faint lines around the King's eyes crinkled, as if at some private joke.

"I see. But isn't it also true that they aren't within our walls currently?" the King asked lightly, his emerald eyes focused on her. "Adria sent me the same report you received. It seems Ozpin has decided to send his students outside of our reach for now, while slapping you and me both with more busy work. And, apparently, blackmail. At this point, I'm not surprised, but I am almost impressed."

Only years of practice kept Regalia from physically wincing. Adria had, once again, jumped the chain of command by forwarding her report directly to the King without telling her; something Regalia had time and again reminded her not to do. She would strangle the little tech-head later.

"My King, if I may be blunt," Verdant started, his quiet voice reminding her of well-aged whiskey. "Badgering poor Reggie here about the technicalities of her word choice is counter-productive, and frankly, horseshit."

Regalia's eyes widened considerably as Verdant smiled playfully, earning a very baleful glare from Chrysós. Despite his ability to disappear when he wanted, the man always seemed driven to walk the knife's edge when it came to such things, but his somewhat uncouth natural charisma often had a tendency to pay off.

_Let's see if he can swing the King's opinion once again. _

"Verdant," the King warned, his gaze nearly molten. "You're pushing it."

"I know. But would you rather I pretend to kiss your ass like all your other courtly pheasants, or just be honest with you?" Verdant asked, calmly meeting the King's gaze.

"I would prefer you be respectful as well as honest," the King drew out, drumming two fingers on the table between them. "I know that is apparently a line too fine for you at times."

Verdant held up his palms as he leaned back from his King's ire.

"Forgive me. I know, I lack a…cultured tongue. But I like to think it is one of my better qualities," he smirked, gesturing calmly. "Personally, I believe this entire situation is still salvageable, and something we can manage to not only benefit you, My King, but also take some of the air out from under Ozpin's wings."

"As enjoyable as that would be," the King conceded, rubbing his brown facial hair. "My duty does not revolve around spiting Ozpin, the Council or the Witchfingers. My duty is to protect and guide my citizens in a world which ever seeks to consume them. And if picking petty fights over jurisdiction with Ozpin, or fighting a magical shadow war against him and the bandit tribes of Remnant threatens that, then I must choose the side of peace. At least until they give me a reason to think they genuinely mean Vale ill."

Verdant and Regalia shared a quick look. It wouldn't do to directly contradict him here. Ever since the death of his son, Chrysós had preferred to keep his claws sheathed unless given the undeniable scent of blood. They needed to proceed with caution, but it seemed that for once, Verdant was determined to throw caution to the wind; and all she could do was watch and wait.

"My King, Nwyfre Donovan will _never _choose the side of peace," Verdant said gravely, his eyes growing sharp. There was something there, some flickering emotion, but Regalia could not identify it. "Remember. So long as her agents remain at Beacon, Vale will be in danger of Grimm invasion. And Ozpin, if he is aware of these student's connections, which he must be, must become more forthcoming with you. The fact that he thinks his authority is equal to your own here is dangerous. "

The King inhaled quietly, willing himself to be patient.

"This isn't Mistral, Verdant," Chrysós intoned in clear exasperation. "I can't just make a public figure disappear because I don't like him, especially considering the man's position. I can call him to court, but then everyone will know the nature of our discussion. Which puts us back at square one. At this point, it is wisest that he and I have a direct conversation and agree to terms that benefit us both and the Kingdom at large."

"And concede more power to him?" Verdant prompted, earning another glare. "At this rate, what's to stop him forming his own little secret group? Collecting skinchangers and magic users who work for….him. And not the Kingdom of Vale? Hell. Who's to say he hasn't done that already? Or he won't give any of your enemies the same idea?"

Chrysós did not seem to buy that line, but he didn't outright deny it either.

"Are you honestly suggesting that Ozpin wants to dethrone me?" the King droned.

"No. That wouldn't suit his own ambitions. But I think he will test your borders. Prick you, over and over again. See where you bleed," Verdant drawled, gesturing at the hall. "And then, wait. I think that would suit him very much. Because I think, if Ozpin had his way? The Hunters and the magic users of the world would answer to no one except him. And he's still a very young man. He has all the time in the world."

That notion gave even Regalia pause; she hadn't considered that Ozpin's own political motivations might genuinely conflict with their own to such a degree. The King's eyes hooded in thought.

"I see."

He finally glanced her way again.

"Lieutenant. You've been very passionate about this particular project. Much more than usual, in fact."

Regalia literally refused the urge to perspire. The air in the throne room was cool, but felt heavier than usual; the scent of sandalwood and spruce would surely cling to her clothes and skin for hours after this.

"I can't say that observation is wrong, Your Majesty."

He nodded, holding her gaze.

"Yes. You confronted one of these agents yourself-"

Verdant's eyes flickered towards her slightly.

"-and have been on the warpath ever since. So tell me: what is it about them that's gotten under your skin?" Chrysós asked, his head tipping slightly. From his expression, she could tell he wasn't judging her for that fact; but he also expected her to be completely honest.

"I…," Regalia hesitated, trying to muster some semblance of professionalism. "Your Majesty, have you ever looked someone in the eyes and known them to be your enemy? With every fiber of your being? Every blood cell? You both just look at each other, and you know?"

"Yes," he quipped, surprising her.

"…that's why," Regalia tipped her head quickly, feeling uncomfortably exposed. "I looked that girl in the eyes and saw that she wanted me, and everyone like me, dead. There's no…educating something like that out of someone."

_She wants everything we stand for to burn to the ground. _

"Either Ozpin honestly doesn't know what he has, or he thinks he can change them. But he can't. And he is putting our citizenry in danger by playing with lightning in a bottle."

Verdant was watching her with yet another odd expression, and she couldn't tell if he was displeased with her or not. Silence hung between the three of them for several moments, heavy like the remnants of the incense that had been burned several hours previous.

"I see. So you're both at odds on this. Unusual," the King looked at Verdant, rubbing his chin in thought. "Verdant, why are you so determined to bring these two into the fold instead of eliminating them? I know it isn't just to cuck Ozpin, even if that is the icing on top."

Regalia's eyebrows promptly shot up at the choice of phrase. The King wasn't prone to vulgar language, despite his very colorful entourage of servants.

Verdant smiled quietly at that, leaning back again as he appraised the King. He was silent for several heartbeats, weighing his words, before finally speaking.

"Because I look at them," the man pushed forward to rest on his elbows. In that moment, he looked as if he had watched the world end, before. "And I do not see my enemy. I see the eyes of the children I could have helped before. And in my wretchedness, did not."

And what, exactly, could one say to that?

* * *

The halls outside the throne room were mostly empty, or at least appeared that way. A plethora of silencing and binding glyphs, courtesy of the Forzani's, lay in wait beneath the carpet and behind the tapestries; meanwhile, the menacing couple were standing guard at the two separate entrances of the hallway that led to the single entry point to the throne room.

Neither of them seemed pleased by this, but they also were not alarmed. Why would they be? They had scoured these halls and rooms again and again, and never failed to find any microphones or glyphs a spy could have left behind. At this point, anyone in the business knew better than to try to listen in on the King's conversations in this particular region of the castle. It was almost a joke to try to.

However, despite all of these precautions, the castle did not have its mirrors covered. Why would it? Like most older Valish and Atlasian structures, it seemed to collect them, in fact. Many were over several centuries old, and considered literal works of art. More than a few of the expensive antiques decorated the various halls and drafty rooms; including the hall outside the throne room. When Verdant and Regalia finally exited the warded sanctuary, they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. It would take a pair of silver eyes to spot the figures trailing them.

Regalia was the first to break the silence, before the pair reached the end of the hall.

"Sir. If this fails-"

"Then we'll go with your final suggestion," Verdant said flatly.

She inhaled, frustration and decorum visibly warring in her frame.

"By then though-"

"Reggie."

She stiffened.

"Your pride is getting the better of you," Verdant glanced at her knowingly.

She opened her mouth before clicking her teeth shut with a snap.

"Yes, sir."

"Ok then. Get it together."

Regalia hesitated as he stalked away on silent feet, slipping out into the rest of the castle to carry out the rest of his tasks. Her nape was tingling, as if she was being watched. She turned to look over her shoulder, and spotted her reflection in one of the antique mirrors nestled between the landscape paintings. Regalia exhaled brusquely before striding away. Her reflection watched after her for several long moments, before finally fading away.

* * *

Summer peered after the King's woman striding away and out of sight. Around her, there was darkness; however, if she focused, lines of light manifested, stretching off into the infinite, like strings of condensed silver or song. Even now, she could see them burning in her mind's eye. They vibrated in the void, their songs illuminating the paths between in a way that she instinctively understood and mapped. She knew she could not get lost if she tried. This entire astral structure had clearly been built with people like her in mind.

Besides her stood Nwyfre, whose helmeted figure was equally unnerving as it was familiar. The woman glanced down at her without pupils.

_"Follow her," _Nwyfre insisted. _"We need to get closer." _

Summer closed her eyes, and let herself actually_ see _. The mirrors in the castle were all active gateways, letting her see out into the rooms where they were located, without having to move and without being detected. It was a skillset that Nwyfre had had Summer practicing nearly nonstop for the past twelve hours, insisting that her aetheri abilities were the key to their success; and something that Summer needed to begin to master for her own sake. She had taken to the skill rather quickly, almost too quickly; and she was not sure how she felt about it, especially after that...incident, in Burhurst.

She followed Regalia as she moved through the corridors, into more crowded areas, and finally into what they had already determined to be the security nexus for the King's Service. There were two in the castle, one for the regular guardsmen, and one for the King's Service. Summer could see a woman seated at the terminal, using her technokinectic Semblance to sift through data, communications and pass along what was needed to her compatriots at blinding speed. Both women had their backs to the decorative mirror that Summer was watching them through.

Reaching out without actually moving, Summer pulled the chord of light and song, and the darkness rolled around them. Then the scene before them changed, showing the pair to Nwyfre as well now. The Morrigan did not verbally react to this, but moved closer to observe the women's conversation.

"-why do you keep trying to put me in these situations, Adria?" Regalia asked, her tone frigid. "You realize when you do garbage like this, you make us all look like incompetents?"

"Reggie. Baby. Listen-"

"Reggie-baby" did not friggin appreciate _that _whatsoever, and spun the other woman's chair around to glare down at her; she looked like a hawk about to bite the head off a rabbit. Summer instinctively winced, expecting them to be able to see her; but of course, they could not.

"It is Lieutenant," Regalia hissed. "Adria. And you seem to think that because of your Semblance, you have leave to behave however you wish. That is...not the case."

Adria did not seem necessarily intimidated by Regalia, but she did seem pretty uncomfortable.

"Listen, _Lieutenant _. I'm not trying to put you on the spot, ok? Really. But when you have terabytes of information rushing through your fucking skull every couple of seconds it is really, really easy to forget things like who you told what first. Ok?"

Regalia's face did not change.

"I don't buy that. You aren't that clumsy."

Adria opened her mouth to protest, and Summer genuinely expected Regalia to slap her. A growl simmered in the back of her throat before she could stop it and Regalia's figure tensed; gold eyes glanced over her shoulder. Adria, however, did not react. Nwyfre sharply elbowed Summer without looking away from the scene before them. The paranoid look went out of Regalia's glare after a few seconds and the Lieutenant backed off Adria.

"Technokinesis is a useful asset. But it is not so rare that you can't be replaced," Regalia clipped out before backing up closer to the mirror, her hands clasped behind her back.

Nwyfre darted forward suddenly, coating her hand in green aura. The Morrigan had something shiny between her fingers, and pressed through the molten silver of the mirror, pushing whatever it was delicately beneath Regalia's coat collar before retracting her fingers.

The King's woman did not even notice, her boots clicking on the marble as she strode out of the security hub.

"Don't test me like this again."

Adria stared after the Lieutenant, and once the other woman was well and gone, blew a fat raspberry that almost made Summer laugh aloud. Nwyfre swatted her shoulder lightly again, getting her attention.

_"We need to go further down ," _she rasped. Her voice sounded strange in the mirror-ways. _"That's where the captives are. We need to see how close you can get without physically exiting." _

Summer closed her eyes and reached again, her internal compass guiding her along the mirrored paths.

"There aren't any mirrors below the wine cellar. But….I think there's mirrored paneling in what looks to be the elevator? That gooooes-yes, it goes below. It's moving right now, actually."

_"Take us there." _

Summer did, pulling the string closest to them. The darkness rolled once more, reminding Summer of a black mist more than the absence of light. Suddenly, they were looking out into the secret elevator, in which two men were riding down.

Before Summer could say anything, Nwyfre coated her right arm in aura once again and pushed the limb silently through the liquid barrier of the mirror; she took the dangling key-card off the belt clip of the closest man, and silently retracted it. He was none the wiser, and simply rubbed at his nose, snuffling.

The elevator dinged, and the pair of King's men walked out in unison. Beyond the open doors, Summer spotted what appeared to be multiple cells with Hard Light barriers. The man Nwyfre had plucked the key pass off of was now patting at his belt and cursing, while his companion groaned in loud exasperation.

"Seriously?! Again?!"

"I - yea. Haha, sorry man."

"You absolute dink. I should duct tape it to your fuckin forehead-"

The doors slid shut as Nwyfrre inspected her prize, cocking her head. She seemed extremely pleased with herself.

_"Fantastic." _

Summer glanced back out at the empty elevator. If she could just enter through here, and open a portal via Raven, or even Taiyang, they'd have a quick and relatively painless exit strategy for the captives. But she'd have to disable the cameras and security system, AND be certain that there weren't any witnesses first.

_"Now, get us back." _

"You could say please, you know," Summer grumbled, glancing back out into the ominous dark. "It wouldn't kill you."

_"Fine. Get us back, _please _. Before mimics try to steal our faces and devour our families." _

Summer did not ask just what mimics were just yet, but she couldn't help but move a little quicker. The ominous dark was, afterall, not actually empty.

* * *

"Physically traversing the mirror ways is extremely dangerous for the uninitiated, and all of our experienced personnel are going to be elsewhere," Nwyfre explained, actually taking the time to draw terrible little stick figures on Tormund's white board. "I'm going to be part of the attack on the caravan, Tormund's going to be busy blacking out their comms, and Joan is also going to be engaged. So that leaves the four of you getting in, and getting out with the captives. I recommend that Summer goes in first, alone, because she is going to have the greatest advantage over them."

Summer and Nwyfre had returned to Tormund's safehouse several hours previous, exiting the mirror with a soft flash of silver light. Her teammates' faces upon watching her step out of a literal mirror had been something else, but they had accepted this new detail into the fabric of their oddball lives fairly quickly. What they were not accepting, so much, was that they should not follow her there. At least, not yet.

"So wait," Raven started, glancing between Summer and Nwyfre. Her face looked pinched, tired. "She goes in first without backup? That's-"

"-Definitely not gonna fly," Tai shrugged, shaking his blonde head. There were deep circles under his eyes as well.

_The whole team is close to exhausted. We need to finish this up so we can rest. Before things actually get crazy. _

"Sorry, bird mom, but that's against company policy."

The Morrigan stared at them, nonplussed. The five were currently alone, and other than being prickly as usual, Nwyfre had so far been fairly patient and focused on getting the final and most important details of the raid wrapped up.

"Do you two really think she is incapable of handling herself?" Nwyfre drawled finally, glancing between Raven and Tai with droll amusement. "Sorry, but that seems just a little ….egocentric."

"Wh- No, it's just," Tai's eyes widened immediately, glancing Summer's way. "When we split up, things go wrong. Therefore: we don't split up."

"Fascinating. What a great example of a logical fallacy, thank you, Taiyang," Nwyfre droned, turning back to the board. Tai made a gesture that Nwyfre absolutely saw in her periphery, but chose to ignore. "Here's what will _actually _happen if Summer has to carry all or most of you idiots through the mirror-ways."

Nwyfre drew the STRQ stick figures, positioned between two, what were apparently, mirrors. They were not very flattering stick figures. Or perhaps, Nwyfre was just really, _really _bad at drawing.

"All three of you will be completely off your fucking heads, because it is your first foray into the mirror-ways and that's what happens if you aren't an aetheri. It drives you temporarily mad."

Tai sucked on his bottom lip, making a face that betrayed that he was still considering it. Raven's face went completely neutral, while Qrow whistled lightly.

"Our bodies know that we _do not _belong there, so our wonderful monkey meat sacks go into full blown panic mode," Nwyfre drew bewildered expressions on the lot of them, sans Summer, whose stick figure looked sad. "Raven, you're already prone to panic attacks and have a previously incurred spiritual injury, so you'll probably sprint off into the fucking aether first-"

Raven's face and ears promptly turned bright red.

"Taiyang, you'll immediately get lost trying to chase after her, because you have two braincells and they are for punching things and making shitty puns-"

Taiyang did not protest this statement, but he gave Nwyfre a very flat stare as he crossed his arms.

"-Oops! Now Summer has to try to find you _both _before you get eaten alive by the denizens who live there, leaving her emotionally compromised AND open to spiritual attack. Qrow _might _actually fare the best of you three, but will still be fighting off insanity and completely dependent on Summer's abilities; and if he gets separated, it's a toss up on whether he'll get out alive or not. Probably not," Nwyfre drew sad little expressions on the stick figures, before scribbling it out and erasing the whole thing. "Annnd, that's it. Mission over. No one gets saved, and we suffer catastrophic losses."

Qrow quietly sipped from his flask and stared awkwardly at the floor.

"So instead of creating the potential for this entire clusterfuck of a scenario, Summer should go through alone and you idiots should trust her enough to be able to handle her innate magical abilities without you hovering. Any more questions?"

There were, naturally, many more questions.

"Well wait, how come you can go through the mirrors with her then?" Taiyang asked immediately.

"Magic helmet, lots of practice, next," Nwfyre glanced at Raven.

"What if we practice?" Raven suggested, though she did not look hopeful.

"Do we have several years? No, practice later. Next."

"Can I wear your helmet?" Tai asked.

Nwyfre smiled. It was one of her scary smiles.

"If you can take it from me, then sure. Be my guest."

Taiyang was clearly considering this option, but Raven put a hand on his shoulder and sat him back down next to her, shaking her head solemnly. Nwyfre glanced at Qrow.

"...What about Professor Arc?" Qrow rested his arms on his knees. Joan was currently passed out, taking a power nap as she apparently hadn't slept in several days. "What if we put her in our group instead and send her with Summer? You said she was experienced, so surely she won't go totally apeshit?"

"Not a totally bad suggestion," Nwyfre conceded, glancing Summer's way. "But also not the actual problem. It is Summer's decision if she wants someone that she'll have to safeguard through the mirror-ways just to make you three feel better. She is, after all, your leader. You need to have confidence in her abilities even if you don't understand them yet."

And thaaaat was literally the nicest thing the woman had ever said to her. Naturally, it made Summer a little suspicious, but Nwyfre seemed... sincere? Maybe she was trying to be nicer after that fight with Raven earlier.

By now, Raven and Taiyang both looked nearly shamefaced and Qrow shot a glance over them to meet Summer's gaze.

"Your call, Sum," Qrow said.

Summer stood up and approached the white board thoughtfully, biting her lip as she stared at the crappy drawing.

"So. My only problem with going through first, alone," Summer started, taking a marker and drawing a bird in flight. "Is that these people don't have a written schedule for us to track their movements. There's no watch rotation that they're on, and we can't tap their communications; there's no definite way of knowing who is going to be where. At least that we've found so far."

Tormund had requested access to the King's Service's working schedule and organization, under the pretense of lending a few Witchfingers off the books to help with the prisoner transfer, after they'd already reached out to him the other day. Apparently, the skinchangers just knew their schedules; nothing was recorded in any way, save word of mouth.

Since it was a small department, this was something that was easily managed, and a good countermeasure against outsiders gathering information on them. This was a problem, because it meant they wouldn't know where most of them were until the moment of the raid.

"Everything currently hinges on Regalia not being _in or near _the castle, but with the bait she's trying to lay for us instead. But if I exit the mirror-ways alone and for some reason she's there, instead of afield? She'll eventually sense my aura, prevent Raven's portal from opening to me and effectively block our escape route. And, she'll be able to immediately identify us. Then it really is mission over."

Summer circled the bird slowly, picturing the woman's coldy imperious face in her mind.

"Nwyfre put a tracker on her coat earlier, and she didn't seem to notice; but what if she changes coats or finds the tracker?" Summer pulled the marker back as she stared at the drawing thoughtfully. "Then she can try to manipulate us with it. So, before anything else, we need to know_ for certain _where Regalia is going to be and when. And then, we need to take her out _first _. Lightning strike, no hesitation. No mistakes."

She glanced back at her team. She realized that this was perhaps the most grave she'd ever seen them.

"Huh. Ok. Sooo, how will we dispose of the body?" Qrow cracked his neck. Tai's eyes blew out wide as Nwyfre started chuckling to herself.

"Fucking what?" the blonde yelped.

"Whaaaat?" Qrow held his hands up as Tai swung around towards him. "What, that's a reasonable question! We can't leave bodies littered around-"

"No, I don't mean kill her," Summer insisted, her voice rising in pitch at the thought. "But we need to take her down. Hard, so she can't become a problem later. She can't have any clue what happened, either. We need to hit this woman like a friggin dump truck."

Nwyfre was giving her one of her calculating stares, but seemed content to say nothing for now and observe.

"How do we track her for sure, without giving ourselves away or spreading ourselves too thin?" Summer asked the room. There was a weighty pause as her teammates considered the question.

"We don't," Raven smirked finally, leaning back on her palms. "We lay some bait of our own. And bring her to us."

Summer tossed finger guns towards her girlfriend, who clearly fought the urge to laugh.

"Kay, but, how?" Taiyang asked, standing up to stretch and move around while he thought out loud. "Like, we can't actually enter the castle if she is there, so - I mean, Summer would have to lead her by the nose somewhere, without exiting the mirror-ways or giving herself away."

"Well, what do we already know about her?" Qrow prompted, his body language mirroring his twin as he considered the problem at hand. "Raven, Summer, ya'll have the most insight right now. What gets under this woman's skin?"

"Defiance." "A loss of control."

The girls shared a quick glance, sharing a small smile.

"That's it then," Summer turned back to the white board, and drew a quick computer monitor.

After a beat, she gave the computer a cute little smiley face and a thumbs up.

"I know what to do."


End file.
